Browse Medical Abbreviations
| P | |
|---|---|
| p | melting point; post (after) |
| P | Phosphorus (element) |
| P&A | percussion and auscultation |
| P&P | pins and plaster |
| P&R | pulse and respiration |
| P&T | peak and trough |
| P-A | placenta abruption; posteroanterior |
| P-ANCA | perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody |
| p.c. | after meals (post cibos) |
| p.r. | through the rectum |
| p.r.n. | as needed |
| 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 | placenta abruption; posteroanterior |
| PA | pulmonary artery; propionic acidemia; posteroanterior; pernicious anemia; physical activity; Physician's Assistant |
| Pa | Pascal |
| PA-C | Physician Assistant-Certified |
| 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 | paroxysmal atrial fibrillation |
| PAINS | Abdominal pain with intercourse; Infection, STD, abnormal discharge; Not feeling well; Period late, abnormal bleeding; String missing, shorter or longer |
| PAL | peripheral arterial line |
| palp | palpable |
| PALS | pediatric advanced life support |
| PAN | panoramic(s) |
| PAO2 | alveolar Oxygen partial pressure (case sensitive) |
| PaO2 | arterial partial pressure of Oxygen (case sensitive) |
| PAOP | pulmonary artery occlusion pressure |
| PAP | pulmonary artery pressure; patient assistance programs |
| Pap | Papanicolaou smear |
| Pap test | Papanicolaou test (smear) |
| Pap. | papillary |
| PAR | paraffin; patient at risk |
| PAR(R) | post anesthesia recovery (room) |
| para | woman who has given birth; paraplegic |
| part. vic | in divided doses |
| PAS | para amino-salicylic acid; periodic acid-schiff (stain) |
| PASG | pneumatic anti-shock garments |
| PASP | pulmonary artery systolic pressure |
| PAT | preadmission testing |
| pat | paroxysmal atrial tachycardia |
| path | pathologist; pathology |
| PAW | pulmonary airway pressure |
| PAWP | pulmonary artery wedge pressure |
| PB | pudendal block or peripheral blood |
| pb | piggyback |
| Pb | Lead (element) |
| PBF | partially breastfed |
| PBI | protein bound iodine; protein-bound iodine |
| PBM | pharmacy benefits management |
| PBPC | peripheral blood progenitor cell |
| PBSC | peripheral blood stem cell |
| PBSCT | peripheral blood stem cell transplantation |
| pc | after meals (post cibos) |
| PC | packed cells; pressure control (ventilator) |
| PCA | patient care assistant; patient controlled anesthesia |
| PCCR | post cardiac cath recovery |
| PCCU | post cardiac cath unit |
| PCD | pneumatic compression device |
| PCH | personal care home |
| PChE | pseudocholinesterase |
| PCI | percutaneous coronary intervention |
| PCKD | polycystic kidney disease |
| PCL | posterior cruciate ligament |
| PCM | protein-calorie malnutrition |
| PCN | penicillin; primary care network |
| PCO | polycystic ovarian disease; primary care organization |
| Pco2 | carbon dioxide pressure |
| PCOS | polycystic ovary syndrome |
| PCP | phencyclidine (anesthetic/hallucinogenic); pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; primary care physician; primary care provider |
| PCR | polymerase chain reaction |
| PCRA | patient controlled regional analgesia |
| PCT | patient care technician; photochemical treatment; proximal convoluted tubule |
| pct | percent |
| PCV | pneumococcal vaccine |
| PCWP | pulmonary capillary wedge pressure |
| PD | provisional discharge; peritoneal dialysis; Parkinson disease; interpupillary distance |
| pd | prism diopter; pupillary distance |
| Pd | Palladium (element) |
| PD&P | postural drainage and percussion |
| PDA | patent ductus arteriosus; posterior descending artery |
| PDD | pervasive development disorder |
| PDE | permitted daily exposure; phosphodiesterase |
| portable document format | |
| PDIS | patient discharge instruction sheet |
| PDT | photodynamic therapy |
| PE | physical examination; pulmonary edema; pulmonary embolism |
| PE tubes | polyethylene tubes |
| PEA | pulseless electrical activity |
| PED | pediatrician |
| Peds | pediatrics |
| PEEP | positive end expiratory pressure |
| PEFR | peak expiratory flow rate |
| PEG | percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy; pneumoencephalogram; polyethylene glycol |
| PEG INF | pegylated interferon |
| PEJ | percutaneous endoscopy jejunostomy |
| PEM | protein energy malnutrition |
| pen | penicillin |
| PEP | pancreatic enzyme product; post-exposure prophylaxis |
| per | through or by; period(ic); for each |
| perf | perforation |
| PERL | pupils equal and react to light |
| perm | permanent |
| peron | peroneal |
| PERRL(A) | pupils equally round and react to light (and accommodation) |
| PERRLA+C | pupils equal, round, react to light, accommodation ok, and coordinated |
| PET | polyethylene terephthalate; positron emission tomography (scan) |
| PF | plantar flexion; plasmapheresis |
| PFC | prefrontal cortex; plaque forming cell (assay); persistent fetal circulation; permanent flexure contracture |
| PFO | patent foramen ovale |
| PFP | pay for performance |
| PFT | pulmonary function test |
| PFTs | pulmonary function tests |
| pg | picogram |
| PG | phosphatidylglycerol |
| PGF | paternal grandfather |
| PGL | persistent generalized lymphadenopathy |
| PGM | paternal grandmother |
| PH | public health; past history; parathyroid hormone |
| pH | hydrogen ion concentration (measure of acidity/alkalinity) |
| PHA | public health advisory |
| Phar. | pharmacy |
| pharm | pharmacy |
| PharmD | Doctor of Pharmacy |
| PHB | personal health budget |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy |
| PHI | protected health information |
| PHN | public health nurse |
| phni | pinhole no improvement |
| phos | phosphate |
| PHP | primary health care provider; partial hospitalization program |
| PHR | personal health record; public health research |
| PHT | public health technician |
| PI | protease inhibitors; principal investigator; previous illness; present illness; peripheral iridotomy; perfusion index; performance improvement |
| PIA | prolonged infantile apnea |
| PIC | peripheral indwelling catheter |
| PICC | peripherally inserted central catheter |
| PICU | pediatric intensive care unit; psychiatric intensive care unit |
| PID | pelvic inflammatory disease |
| PIE | plan, intervention, evaluation |
| PIF | peak inspiratory flow |
| PIG | policy implementation guide; pigtail catheter |
| PIH | pregnancy induced hypertension; prolactin-inhibiting hormone |
| PII | patient/ person identifiable information |
| pil. | pill |
| PIP | proximal interphalangeal; peak inspiratory pressure |
| PIPOT | persons in positions of trust |
| PIT | Pitocin |
| PIV | peripheral intravenous |
| PJC | premature junctional contraction |
| PK test | Prausnitz-k?stner test |
| PKD | polycystic kidney disease |
| PKR | photorefractive keratotomy |
| pks | packs |
| PKU | phenylketonuria |
| PL | palmaris longus |
| PLACE | patient-led assessments of the care environment |
| PLCV | procedures of limited clinical value |
| PLIF | posterior lumbar interbody fusion |
| PLL | postero-lateral left |
| plt | platelet |
| PM | afternoon/evening |
| Pm | Promethium (element) |
| PM&R | physical medicine and rehabilitation |
| PMD | private medical doctor |
| PMFSH | past medical, family, social history |
| PMH | past medical history |
| PMI | point of maximum impulse; private medical insurance |
| PML | progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy |
| PMN | polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes |
| pmo | picomole (picomolar) |
| pmol | picomole (picomolar) |
| PMP | previous menstrual period |
| PMR | polymyalgia rheumatica |
| PMS | premenstrual syndrome |
| PMT | premenstrual tension |
| PMU | pain management unit |
| PN | product name; prenatal |
| PNA | partial nail avulsion; percutaneous needle aspiration; personal needs allowance; pharmaceutical needs assessment; pneumonia |
| PNB | premature nodal beats; peripheral nerve block |
| PNC | premature nodal contraction; premature nodal complex; prenatal care |
| PNC-E | post-necrotic cirrhosis-ethanol |
| PND | paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; post nasal drip |
| PNF | proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation |
| PNH | paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria |
| PNP | Pediatric Nurse Practitioner |
| PNS | peripheral nervous system |
| PNV | prenatal vitamins |
| PNX | pneumothorax |
| PO | phone order; by mouth (per os) |
| po | by mouth (per os) |
| PO2 | partial pressure of oxygen |
| POA | power of attorney |
| POAG | primary open-angle glaucoma |
| POC | plan of care; point of contact |
| POCT | point of care testing |
| POD | post operative day |
| POE | point of entry |
| POLST | physician orders for life-sustaining therapy |
| PONV | post-operative nausea and vomiting |
| POPs | progestin-only contraceptive pills |
| PORP | partial ossicular replacement prosthesis |
| POS | problem oriented system; point of service |
| poss | possible |
| post | after |
| post op | post operative |
| post-op | post operation |
| post. | posterior |
| POTx | proof of treatment |
| PP | placenta previa; postpartum |
| PP1 | post partum day 1, etc. |
| PPA | phenyl pyruvic acid |
| PPB | positive pressure breathing |
| ppb | parts per billion |
| PPBG | postprandial blood glucose |
| PPBS | postprandial blood sugar |
| PPD | percussion and postural drainage; purified protein derivative (tuberculosis test antigen) |
| PPE | personal protective equipment |
| PPF | plasma protein fraction |
| PPG | postprandial glucose |
| PPH | past psychiatric history; primary pulmonary hypertension |
| PPHN | persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn |
| PPI | patient package insert; proton pump inhibitor |
| PPIP | put prevention into practice |
| ppm | parts per million |
| PPM | planned preventive maintenance |
| PPN | peripheral parenteral nutrition |
| PPO | preferred provider organization |
| PPROM | preterm premature rupture of membranes |
| PPS | postpartum sterilization |
| PPT | positive pregnancy test; plasma preparation tube; partial prothrombin time |
| PPTL | post-partum tubal ligation |
| PPV | pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine |
| 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 |
| PRE | progressive resistive exercise |
| pre-op | before surgery (pre-operative) |
| preg | pregnancy, pregnant |
| PREM | patient reported experience measure |
| prep | preparation |
| prev | prevention; preventive; previous |
| PRH | prolactin-releasing hormone |
| primip | primipara |
| PRIT | posterior resection of inferior turbinates |
| PRK | photorefractive keratotomy |
| PRL | prolactin |
| PRM | partial-rebreathing mask |
| prn | as needed (pro re nata) |
| pro time | prothrombin time |
| prob | probable, probably |
| PROM | passive range of motion; patient-reported outcome measure; premature rupture of membranes |
| prox | proximal |
| PrP | prion protein |
| PRP | polysaccharide-ribitol-phosphate vaccine; platelet-rich plasma |
| 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 |
| PSA | patient support associate; prostate specific antigen; public service announcement |
| PsA | psoriatic arthritis |
| PSCT | peripheral stem cell transplant |
| PSD | patient specific direction |
| PSDA | patient self-determination act |
| PSE | portal systemic encephalopathy |
| 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 |
| PSV | pressure support ventilation; prostate-specific antigen |
| PSVT | paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia |
| psy | psychiatry, psychology |
| psych | psychiatry, psychology |
| PT | prothrombin time; preferred term; physical therapy; part time |
| Pt | Platinum (element) |
| pt | pint; patient |
| PTA | pure tone audiometry; prior to admission; physical therapist assistant; peritonsillar abscess |
| PTC | papillary thyroid cancer; points to consider |
| PTCA | percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty |
| PTE | pulmonary thromboembolism |
| PTEM | pregnancy test education materials |
| PTFE | polytetrafluorethylene |
| 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) |
| PUBS | percutaneous umbilical blood sampling |
| PUD | peptic ulcer disease |
| PUFA | polyunsaturated fatty acid |
| pul(m) | pulmonary |
| PUS | prostate ultrasound |
| PUVA | psoralen ultraviolet a |
| PV | vaginal (per vagina) |
| PVC | polyvinyl chloride; premature ventricular contraction |
| PVD | peripheral vascular disease |
| PVR | peripheral vascular resistance; post void residual; pulmonary vascular resistance |
| PVRI | Pulmonary Vascular Resistance Index |
| PVT | paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia |
| PWA | person with aids |
| PWB | partial weight bearing |
| Px | prognosis |
| PZA | pyrazinamide |
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.