Browse Medical Abbreviations
P
| P | phosphorus [element] |
| p | melting point; post (after); pulse |
| P&A | percussion and auscultation |
| P&P | pins and plaster |
| P&R | pulse and respiration |
| P&T | peak and trough |
| P-A | posteroanterior; posterior-anterior; placenta abruption |
| P-ANCA | perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody |
| p.c. | after meals (post cibos) |
| p.m. | afternoon/evening (post meridiem) |
| P/A | posterior/anterior |
| P/U | pick up |
| P2 | pulmonic second sound |
| P4P | pay for performance |
| p: | plan |
| p=r | pupils equal and reactive |
| PA | posteroanterior; posterior anterior; Physician Assistant; pernicious anemia; propionic acidemia; pulmonary artery; physical activity |
| pa | placenta abruption |
| Pa | Pascal |
| PA-C | Certified Physician Assistant |
| PAB | professional advisory board |
| PABA | para-aminobenzoic acid (vitamin B10) |
| PAC | premature atrial contraction |
| Paco2 | partial pressure of carbon dioxide in alveolar gas |
| PACU | Post-Anesthesia Care Unit |
| PAD | peripheral arterial disease; pharmacologically active drug |
| PADP | pulmonary artery diastolic pressure |
| PADS | preventive aggression device system |
| PAF | platelet activating factor; paroxysmal atrial fibrillation |
| PAGE | polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis |
| PAH | para-aminohippurate; polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon |
| pAH | pulmonary arterial hypertension |
| PAIS | partial androgen insensitivity syndrome |
| PAL | peripheral arterial line |
| palp | palpable |
| PALS | pediatric advanced life support |
| PAMP | pathogen-associated molecular pattern |
| PAN | panoramic; peroxyacetyl nitrate; polyarteritis nodosa |
| pANCA | perinuclear ANCA |
| PaO2 | arterial oxygen partial pressure [case sensitive] |
| PAO2 | alveolar oxygen partial pressure [case sensitive] |
| PAOP | pulmonary artery occlusion pressure |
| Pap | Papanicolaou smear |
| PAP | patient assistance programs; peak airway pressure; pulmonary artery pressure |
| Pap test | Papanicolaou test (smear) |
| Pap. | papillary |
| PAR | post anesthesia recovery; patient at risk; paraffin |
| para | paraplegic; woman who has given birth |
| PARR | post anesthesia recovery (room) |
| part. vic. | in divided doses (L. partitis vicibus) |
| PAS | para amino-salicylic acid; para-aminosalicylic acid; periodic acid-Schiff (stain) |
| PASA | para-aminosalicylic acid |
| PASG | pneumatic anti-shock garments |
| PASP | pulmonary artery systolic pressure |
| pat | paroxysmal atrial tachycardia |
| PAT | preadmission testing |
| path | pathology; pathologist |
| pathol | pathological; pathology |
| PAWP | pulmonary artery wedge pressure |
| PB | pudendal block or peripheral blood |
| pb | piggyback |
| Pb | lead [element] |
| PBA | pseudobulbar affect |
| PBC | primary biliary cholangitis; primary biliary cirrhosis |
| PBF | partially breastfed |
| PBI | protein-bound iodine |
| PBL | problem-based learning; peripheral blood lymphocyte |
| PBM | pharmacy benefits management |
| PBMC | peripheral blood mononuclear cell |
| PBPC | peripheral blood progenitor cell |
| PBS | phosphate-buffered saline; peripheral blood smear |
| PBSC | peripheral blood stem cell |
| PBSCT | peripheral blood stem cell transplantation |
| PBW | predicted body weight |
| PC | pyruvate carboxylase; professional corporation; pressure control (ventilator); presenting complaint; packed cells |
| pc | after meals (L. post cibos) |
| PCA | patient care assistant; patient-controlled anesthesia; posterior cerebral artery |
| PCC | prothrombin complex concentrate; Poison Control Center |
| PCCR | post cardiac cath recovery |
| PCCU | post cardiac cath unit |
| PCD | programmed cell death; pneumatic compression device; percutaneous drainage; pacing cardioverter/defibrillator |
| PCH | personal care home |
| PChE | pseudocholinesterase |
| pCi | picocurie |
| PCI | percutaneous coronary intervention |
| PCKD | polycystic kidney disease |
| PCL | polycaprolactone; posterior cruciate ligament |
| PCM | protein-calorie malnutrition |
| PCN | penicillin; primary care network |
| PCNA | proliferating cell nuclear antigen |
| PCO | primary care organization; polycystic ovarian disease |
| PCO2 | carbon dioxide pressure |
| PCOS | polycystic ovary syndrome |
| PCP | primary care physician; pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; phencyclidine (anesthetic/hallucinogenic); primary care provider |
| PCR | protein catabolic rate; patient care record/report; polymerase chain reaction |
| PCRA | patient controlled regional analgesia |
| PCS | procedure coding system; post-concussion syndrome |
| pct | percent |
| PCT | proximal convoluted tubule; patient care technician; photochemical treatment |
| PCTA | percutaneous transluminal angioplasty |
| PCU | Progressive Care Unit |
| PCV | pneumococcal vaccine; packed cell volume |
| PCWP | pulmonary capillary wedge pressure |
| pd | pupillary distance; prism diopter |
| PD | pulmonary disease; provisional discharge; progressive disease; police department; interpupillary distance; peritoneal dialysis; Parkinson disease |
| Pd | palladium [element] |
| PD&P | postural drainage and percussion |
| PDA | posterior descending artery; patent ductus arteriosus |
| PDD | pervasive development disorder |
| PDD-NOS | pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified |
| PDE | permitted daily exposure; phosphodiesterase |
| portable document format | |
| PDGF | platelet-derived growth factor |
| PDH | pyruvate dehydrogenase |
| PDIS | patient discharge instruction sheet |
| PDR | Physicians' Desk Reference |
| PDT | photodynamic therapy |
| PE | pulmonary embolism; pulmonary edema; physical examination |
| PE tubes | polyethylene tubes |
| PEA | pulseless electrical activity |
| PECS | picture exchange communication system |
| PED | pediatrician |
| Peds | pediatrics |
| PEEP | positive end-expiratory pressure |
| PEF | peak expiratory flow |
| PEFR | peak expiratory flow rate |
| PEG | percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy; pneumoencephalogram; polyethylene glycol |
| PEG INF | pegylated interferon |
| PEJ | percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy |
| PEM | protein energy malnutrition |
| PEMF | pulsing electromagnetic field |
| pen | penicillin |
| PEP | post-exposure prophylaxis; phosphoenolpyruvate; pancreatic enzyme product |
| per | for each; through or by; period(ic) |
| perf | perforation |
| PERL | pupils equal and react to light |
| perm | permanent |
| peron | peroneal |
| PERRL | pupils equally round and react to light |
| PERRLA | pupils equally round and react to light and accommodation |
| PERRLA+C | pupils equal, round, react to light, accommodation ok, and coordinated |
| PESA | percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration |
| PET | polyethylene terephthalate; positron emission tomography (scan) |
| PetCO2 | partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide |
| PF | plantar flexion; plasmapheresis |
| PFC | persistent fetal circulation; prefrontal cortex; permanent flexure contracture; plaque forming cell (assay) |
| PFD | personal flotation device (life jacket) |
| PFGE | pulsed-field gel electrophoresis |
| PFIC | progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis |
| PFK | phosphofructokinase |
| PFO | patent foramen ovale |
| PFP | pay for performance |
| PFS | progression-free survival |
| PFT | pulmonary function test |
| PFTs | pulmonary function tests |
| PG | phosphatidylglycerol; pregnant; prostaglandin |
| pg | picogram (one trillionth of a gram) |
| PGA | pteroylglutamic acid |
| PGC | primordial germ cell |
| PGD | pre-implantation genetic diagnosis |
| PGF | paternal grandfather; placental growth factor |
| PGL | persistent generalized lymphadenopathy |
| PGM | paternal grandmother |
| PGR | psychogalvanic reaction |
| PGY | postgraduate year |
| PH | poor health; past history; parathyroid hormone; public health |
| pH | potential of hydrogen; hydrogen ion concentration (measure of acidity/alkalinity) |
| PHA | phytohemagglutinin; public health advisory |
| Phar. | pharmacy |
| pharm | pharmacy |
| PharmD | Doctor of Pharmacy |
| PHB | personal health budget |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Phe | phenylalanine |
| PHI | protected health information |
| PHN | public health nurse |
| phni | pinhole no improvement |
| PHO | Physician Hospital Organization |
| phos | phosphate |
| PHP | pseudohypoparathyroidism; primary health care provider; partial hospitalization program |
| PHPT | primary hyperparathyroidism |
| PHPV | persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous |
| PHR | personal health record; public health research |
| PHS | Public Health Service |
| PHT | public health technician |
| PI | previous illness; present illness; peripheral iridotomy; perfusion index; performance improvement; protease inhibitors; principal investigator |
| PI3K | phosphoinositide 3-kinase |
| PIA | prolonged infantile apnea |
| PIC | peripheral intravenous catheter |
| PICC | peripherally inserted central catheter |
| PICU | psychiatric intensive care unit; pediatric intensive care unit |
| PID | pelvic inflammatory disease |
| PIE | plan, intervention, evaluation; pulmonary interstitial emphysema |
| PIF | peak inspiratory flow; prolactin release-inhibiting factor |
| PIG | pigtail catheter; policy implementation guide |
| pIgR | polymeric immunoglobulin receptor |
| PIH | pregnancy-induced hypertension; prolactin-inhibiting hormone |
| PII | personally identifiable information |
| pil | pill (L. pilula) |
| pil. | pill |
| PIN | prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia |
| PIP | peak inspiratory pressure; proximal interphalangeal |
| PIP joint | proximal interphalangeal joint |
| PIPJ | proximal interphalangeal joint |
| PIPOT | persons in positions of trust |
| PISA | proximal isovelocity surface area |
| PIT | Pitocin |
| PIV | peripheral intravenous |
| PJC | premature junctional contraction |
| PJP | Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia |
| PJS | Peutz-Jeghers syndrome |
| PK test | Prausnitz-kustner test |
| PKA | protein kinase A |
| PKC | protein kinase C |
| PKD | polycystic kidney disease |
| PKR | partial knee replacement; photorefractive keratotomy |
| pks | packs |
| PKU | phenylketonuria |
| PL | palmaris longus |
| PLACE | patient-led assessments of the care environment |
| plats | platelets; platelet |
| PLCV | procedures of limited clinical value |
| PLIF | posterior lumbar interbody fusion |
| PLL | postero-lateral left |
| PLM | polarized light microscopy |
| PLR | passive leg raising |
| PLSS | portable life-support system |
| plt | platelet |
| PM | postmortem; polymyositis |
| pM | picomolar |
| Pm | promethium [element] |
| PM&R | physical medicine and rehabilitation |
| PMD | private medical doctor |
| PMDD | premenstrual dysphoric disorder |
| PMFSH | past medical, family, social history |
| PMH | past medical history |
| PMHx | past medical history |
| PMI | point of maximal impulse; private medical insurance; point of maximum impulse |
| PMID | PubMed identifier |
| PML | progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy |
| PMM | phosphomannomutase |
| PMN | polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes; polymorphonuclear leukocytes |
| PMNL | polymorphonuclear leukocyte |
| pmol | picomole (one trillionth of a mole) |
| pmol/L | picomoles per liter |
| PMP | previous menstrual period |
| pmp | per million population |
| PMR | polymyalgia rheumatica |
| PMS | premenstrual syndrome |
| PMT | premenstrual tension |
| PMU | pain management unit |
| PN | psychoneurotic; product name; prenatal; peripheral neuropathy; parenteral nutrition |
| PNA | pneumonia; partial nail avulsion; percutaneous needle aspiration; personal needs allowance; pharmaceutical needs assessment |
| PNB | premature nodal beats; peripheral nerve block |
| PNC | prenatal care; penicillin; premature nodal complex; premature nodal contraction |
| PNC-E | post-necrotic cirrhosis-ethanol |
| PND | paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; post nasal drip |
| PNDM | permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus |
| PNET | primitive neuroectodermal tumor |
| PNF | proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation |
| PNH | paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria |
| PNI | peripheral nerve injury |
| PNP | Pediatric Nurse Practitioner |
| PNS | peripheral nervous system |
| PNV | prenatal vitamins |
| PNX | pneumothorax |
| po | by mouth (per os) |
| PO | phone order |
| PO2 | partial pressure of oxygen |
| POA | power of attorney |
| POAG | primary open-angle glaucoma |
| POC | plan of care; point of contact; proof of concept; product of conception |
| POCT | point of care testing |
| POD | postoperative day; post operative day |
| POE | point of entry |
| POF | premature ovarian failure |
| POLST | physician orders for life-sustaining therapy |
| PONV | post-operative nausea and vomiting |
| POPs | progestin-only contraceptive pills |
| PORP | partial ossicular replacement prosthesis |
| POS | point of service; problem oriented system |
| poss | possible |
| post | after |
| post op | post operation |
| post. | posterior |
| POTS | postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome |
| POTx | proof of treatment |
| POU | placenta, ovary, uterus |
| PP | pulsus paradoxus; pulse pressure; post partum; pancreatic polypeptide; after meal (postprandial); postpartum; placenta previa |
| PP1 | post partum day 1, etc. |
| PPA | phenyl pyruvic acid |
| PPAR | Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor |
| ppb | parts per billion |
| PPB | positive pressure breathing |
| PPBG | postprandial blood glucose |
| PPBS | postprandial blood sugar |
| PPD | packs per day; paranoid personality disorder; percussion and postural drainage; purified protein derivative (tuberculosis test antigen) |
| PPE | personal protection equipment; personal protective equipment |
| PPF | plasma protein fraction |
| PPG | postprandial glucose |
| PPH | primary pulmonary hypertension; past psychiatric history; postpartum hemorrhage |
| PPHN | persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn |
| PPI | proton pump inhibitor; patient package insert |
| PPIP | put prevention into practice |
| PPM | planned preventive maintenance; permanent pacemaker |
| ppm | parts per million |
| PPMA | postpoliomyelitis muscular atrophy |
| PPN | peripheral parenteral nutrition |
| PPNAD | primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease |
| PPO | preferred provider organization |
| PPROM | preterm premature rupture of membranes |
| PPS | postpartum sterilization |
| PPT | plasma preparation tube; partial prothrombin time; positive pregnancy test |
| PPTL | post-partum tubal ligation |
| PPV | pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine; positive predictive value |
| PPW | pre-pregnancy weight |
| PQRST | provoke-quality-radiation-severity-time |
| PR | per rectum; pulmonic regurgitation; pulse rate |
| Pr | praseodymium [element] |
| PR/R | per rectum/rectal |
| PR3 | proteinase 3 |
| PRA | plasma renin activity; panel-reactive antibody |
| PRB | performance review board |
| PRBC | packed red blood cell(s) |
| PRBCs | packed red blood cells |
| PRCA | pure red cell aplasia |
| PRE | progressive resistive exercise |
| pre-op | before surgery (pre-operative) |
| preg | pregnancy, pregnant |
| PREM | patient reported experience measure |
| prep | preparation |
| PrEP | pre-exposure prophylaxis |
| prev | prevention; preventive; previous |
| PRF | prolactin-releasing factor |
| PRH | prolactin-releasing hormone |
| primip | primipara |
| PRINTO | Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization |
| PRIT | posterior resection of inferior turbinates |
| PRK | photorefractive keratectomy |
| PRL | prolactin |
| PRM | partial-rebreathing mask |
| prn | as required/needed (L. pro re nata) |
| PRO | peer review organization |
| pro time | prothrombin time |
| prob | probable, probably |
| PROM | passive range of motion; premature rupture of membranes; patient-reported outcome measure |
| prox | proximal |
| PrP | prion protein |
| PRP | polysaccharide-ribitol-phosphate vaccine; platelet-rich plasma; pan retinal photocoagulation |
| PRQM | publicly reported quality measures |
| PRRT | pediatric rapid response team |
| PRSP | penicillin-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae |
| PRVC | pressure regulated volume control |
| PS | pulmonic stenosis; pressure support; pulmonary stenosis |
| PSA | patient support associate; prostate-specific antigen; public service announcement |
| PsA | psoriatic arthritis |
| PSC | primary sclerosing cholangitis |
| PSCT | peripheral stem cell transplant |
| PSD | patient specific direction |
| PSDA | patient self-determination act |
| PSE | portal systemic encephalopathy |
| PSF | posterior spinal fusion |
| PSG | polysomnogram (sleep study) |
| PSH | past surgical history |
| psi | per square inch (pounds) |
| PSIS | posterior-superior iliac spine |
| PSL | peripheral saline lock |
| PSO | patient services office |
| PSRO | professional standards review organization |
| PSS | progressive systemic sclerosis; physiologic saline solution |
| PSV | peak systolic velocity; pressure support ventilation; prostate-specific antigen |
| PSVT | paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia |
| psy | psychiatry, psychology |
| psych | psychiatry, psychology |
| psychol | psychologist |
| PT | prothrombin time; physical therapy; part time |
| pt | pint; patient |
| Pt | platinum [element] |
| PTA | prior to arrival; prior to admission; plasma thromboplastin antecedent; percutaneous transluminal angioplasty; peritonsillar abscess; pure tone audiometry; physical therapist assistant |
| PTC | papillary thyroid cancer; percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography; plasma thromboplastin component; points to consider |
| PTCA | percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty |
| PTE | pulmonary thromboembolism |
| PTEM | pregnancy test education materials |
| PTFE | polytetrafluoroethylene |
| PTH | parathormone; parathyroid hormone |
| PTK | phototherapeutic keratectomy |
| PTL | pre-term labor |
| PTR | platelet transfusion reaction |
| pts | patient, patients |
| PTSD | post-traumatic stress disorder |
| PTT | partial thromboplastin time |
| PTU | propylthiouracil |
| PTX | pneumothorax |
| Pu | plutonium [element] |
| PU | passed urine, peptic ulcer; peptic ulcer |
| PUBS | percutaneous umbilical blood sampling |
| PUD | peptic ulcer disease |
| PuD | pulmonary disease |
| PUFA | polyunsaturated fatty acid |
| PUJ | pelviureteric junction |
| pul | pulmonary |
| PUL | percutaneous ultrasonic lithotripsy |
| pulm | pulmonary |
| pulv | powder (L. pulvis) |
| PUO | pyrexia of unknown origin |
| PUS | prostate ultrasound |
| PUVA | psoralen ultraviolet A |
| PV | polycythemia vera; vaginal (per vagina) |
| PVC | polyvinyl chloride; premature ventricular contraction |
| PVD | peripheral vascular disease |
| PVE | prosthetic valve endocarditis |
| PVP | polyvinylpyrrolidone |
| PVR | peripheral vascular resistance; pulmonary vascular resistance; post-void residual |
| PVRI | Pulmonary Vascular Resistance Index |
| PVS | persistent vegetative state |
| PVT | paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia |
| PWA | person with AIDS |
| PWB | partial weight bearing |
| PWS | Prader-Willi syndrome |
| Px | prognosis |
| PZA | pyrazinamide |
| PZI | protamine zinc insulin |
Return to: Medical Abbreviations & Acronyms
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Abbreviations vary by context and institution. Many abbreviations have alternate or newer meanings not reflected in this set. The abbreviations on this page should not be considered complete.