Browse Medical Abbreviations
S
| S | sulfur [element]; son; sacral; mark |
| s | without |
| S-A | sino-atrial |
| s.o.s. | if necessary (L. si opus sit) |
| S/A | sugar and acetone |
| S/E | side effects |
| S/P | status post (condition following [event]) |
| S/S | signs and symptoms |
| S/Sx | signs/symptoms |
| s/w | somewhat |
| S1 | first heart sound |
| S2 | second heart sound |
| S3 | third heart sound |
| S4 | fourth heart sound |
| SA | sinoatrial; surface area; salicylic acid; status asthmaticus; sinus arrhythmia; stomach ache; sexual assault |
| sa | according to art (secundum artem) |
| SA node | sinoatrial node |
| SAA | serum amyloid A |
| SAARD | slow-acting antirheumatic drug |
| SAB | spontaneous abortion |
| SAC | short arm cast |
| SAD | seasonal affective disorder |
| SADS | sudden arrhythmic death syndrome |
| SAE | serious adverse event |
| SAH | subarachnoid hemorrhage |
| SAID | steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs |
| SALT | speech and language therapy |
| SANE | sexual assault nurse examiner |
| SaO2 | arterial blood-oxygen saturation |
| SAPS | Simplified Acute Physiology Score |
| SARS | Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome |
| SAS | statistical analysis system; symptom assessment scale |
| SAT | serum agglutination test |
| sat | saturate, saturation |
| SAU | standard IgA beta-2 glycoprotein unit |
| SAVE | screen, ask, validate, evaluate/educate |
| SB | stillbirth; spontaneous breathing; serum bilirubin; spina bifida; small bowel; sinus bradycardia |
| Sb | antimony (stibium) [element] |
| SBAR | situation, background, assessment, recommendation |
| SBE | subacute bacterial endocarditis; self breast examination |
| SBFT | small bowel follow-through (x-ray) |
| SBGM | self blood glucose monitoring |
| SBO | small bowel obstruction |
| SBP | systolic blood pressure |
| sbp | spontaneous bacterial peritonitis |
| SBS | sick building syndrome; small bowel series |
| SBT | spontaneous breathing trial |
| Sc | scandium [element] |
| SC | subcutaneous(ly); self care |
| sc | subcutaneous(ly) |
| SCA | superior cerebellar artery; sudden cardiac arrest; subclavian artery; sickle cell anemia |
| SCAD | schizoaffective disorder; short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency |
| SCAT | sheep cell agglutination test |
| SCC | squamous cell carcinoma; skilled care coordinator |
| ScD | Doctor of Science |
| SCD | sequential compression device; sudden cardiac death |
| SCE | sister chromatid exchange |
| SCFE | slipped capital femoral epiphysis |
| SCI | spinal cord injury |
| sci | science |
| SCID | severe combined immunodeficiency |
| SCJ | sternoclavicular joint |
| Scl-70 | Sclero 70 |
| SCLC | small cell lung cancer |
| SCLE | subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus |
| SCM | sternocleidomastoid |
| ScM | Master of Science |
| SCN | suprachiasmatic nucleus |
| SCr | serum creatinine |
| SCT | salmon calcitonin; sickle cell trait; stem cell transplantation |
| SD | standard deviation |
| SDAT | senile dementia of the Alzheimer type |
| SDB | sleep disordered breathing |
| SDH | subdural hematoma; succinate dehydrogenase |
| SDP | single donor platelets |
| SDS | Sheehan Disability Scale; same day services; sodium dodecyl sulfate |
| SDSU | same-day surgery unit |
| SDT | speech discrimination threshold (audiometry) |
| SE | substantially equivalent; status epilepticus; side effects; standard error |
| Se | selenium [element] |
| sec | second (time or sequence) |
| Sed rate | sedimentation rate |
| SEDC | spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita |
| SEER | Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results |
| seg | segmented (white cells) |
| SEGA | subependymal giant cell astrocytoma |
| SEM | scanning electron microscopy; systolic ejection murmur; standard error of the mean |
| SEMI | subendocardial myocardial infarction |
| sens | sensation; sensitivity |
| SEP | sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis |
| seq | sequence |
| Ser | serine |
| SERM | selective estrogen receptor modulator |
| SF | sugar-free; serum ferritin; safety factor; synovial fluid |
| SF-1 | steroidogenic factor 1 |
| SFe | Serum Iron |
| SFI | Spondylitis Functional Index |
| SG | Swan-Ganz catheter; specific gravity; skin graft; suicide gesture |
| SGA | small for gestational age; subjective global assessment |
| SGOT | serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase |
| SGPT | serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase |
| SGS | subglottic stenosis |
| SGU | standard IgG beta-2 glycoprotein unit |
| SH | serum hepatitis; social history |
| sh | shoulder |
| SHBG | sex hormone binding globulin |
| SHE | safety, health and environment |
| shld | shoulder |
| SHP | hyperparathyroidism |
| SHPT | secondary hyperparathyroidism |
| SHU | special housing unit |
| SHx | social history |
| SI | serious incident; sensory integration; suicidal ideation; International System of Units (Systeme International) |
| Si | silicon [element] |
| SI joint | sacroiliac joint |
| SI units | International System of Units (Systeme International) |
| SIA | strip immunoblot assay |
| SIADH | syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone |
| SIB | self-injurious behavior |
| sib | sibling |
| SICU | surgical intensive care unit |
| SIDS | sudden infant death syndrome |
| SIE | stroke in evolution |
| sig | signal; let it be labeled (L. signetur); signature |
| SIJ | sacroiliac joint |
| SIL | squamous intraepithelial lesion |
| sim | similar and simplated |
| SIMD | substance-induced mood disorder |
| simul | simultaneously |
| SIMV | synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation |
| SIP | sterilization in place; Sickness Impact Profile |
| SiPAP | synchronized inspiratory positive airway pressure |
| SIRES | stabilize, identify toxin, reverse effect, eliminate toxin, support |
| SIRI | serious incident requiring investigation |
| siRNA | small interfering RNA |
| SIRS | systemic inflammatory response syndrome |
| SIS | saline infusion sonohysterosalpingography |
| SIVP | slow intravenous push |
| SIW | self-inflicted wound |
| SJS | Schwartz-Jampel syndrome; Stevens-Johnson syndrome |
| SJT | situational judgement test |
| SK | streptokinase (thrombolytic) |
| skel | skeletal |
| SL | sensation level; saline lock; sublingual (under tongue) |
| sl | slight |
| SLAM | Systemic Lupus Activity Measure |
| SLB | short leg brace |
| SLCC | Systemic Lupus Criteria Count |
| SLD | specific learning disabilities |
| SLE | systemic lupus erythematosus |
| SLED | sustained low efficiency dialysis |
| SLEDAI | Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index |
| SLICC | Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics |
| SLP | speech-language pathology |
| SLR | straight leg raise |
| SLT | selective laser trabeculoplasty; speech and language therapy |
| Sm | samarium [element] |
| sm | small |
| SM | streptomycin; synovial membrane |
| SMA | superior mesenteric artery; spinal muscular atrophy; sequential multiple analyzer |
| SMAC | sequential multiple analyzer computer |
| SMBG | self-monitoring of blood glucose |
| SME | significant medical event; subject matter expert |
| SMG | submandibular gland |
| SMR | sexual maturity rating; standardized mortality ratio; submucous resection |
| SMS | Smith-Magenis syndrome |
| SMU | standard IgM beta-2 glycoprotein unit |
| SMV | Superior mesenteric vein |
| SMZ | sulfamethoxazole |
| Sn | tin [element] |
| SNF | skilled nursing facility |
| SNHL | sensorineural hearing loss |
| SNOMED | systematized nomenclature of medicine |
| SNP | single-nucleotide polymorphism |
| SNRI | serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor |
| snRNP | small nuclear ribonucleoproteins |
| SNS | sympathetic nervous system; supplemental nursing system |
| SNV | single nucleotide variant |
| SO | superior oblique; salpingo-oophorectomy; significant other |
| SO2 | Sulfate |
| SOAP | subjective, objective, assessment, plan |
| SOAPIER | subjective, objective, assessment, plan, intervention, evaluation, response |
| SOB | short(ness) of breath; side of bed |
| SOBE | shortness of breath on exertion |
| SOBOE | short of breath on exertion |
| SOC | standard of care |
| SOD | superoxide dismutase |
| SOFA | Sequential Organ Failure Assessment |
| SOI | severity of illness |
| SOL | space occupying lesion |
| sol | solution |
| soln | solution |
| SOM | serous otitis media |
| SOMI | sternal occipital mandibular immobilizer |
| sono | sonogram |
| SONP | soft organs not palpable |
| SOP | standard operating procedure |
| SOS | help needed distress signal (save our ship); sinusoidal obstruction syndrome; spondyloocular syndrome |
| SOT | solid organ transplant |
| SP | suprapubic (catheter); Sanofi Pasteur |
| sp | specific gravity; species; space |
| sp. gr. | specific gravity |
| SP/GP | suicide precautions/general precautions |
| SpA | spondylarthritis; spondylarthropathy |
| SPA | sperm penetration assay; single point of access |
| SPAP | systolic pulmonary artery pressure |
| SPB | systolic blood pressure |
| SPC | specialist palliative care; statistical process control |
| SPCA | Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| spec | specification; specimen |
| SPECT | single-photon emission computed tomography |
| SPEP | serum protein electrophoresis |
| SPF | specific pathogen free; sun protection factor |
| sph | spherical |
| SPLATT | split anterior tibial tendon transfer |
| SPN | solitary pulmonary nodule |
| SpO2 | pulse oxygen saturation (pulse oximetry) |
| spon AB | spontaneous abortion |
| spont | spontaneous |
| SPP | suprapubic prostatectomy |
| spp | species |
| spt. | spirit |
| SQ | subcutaneous(ly) |
| sq | squamous |
| SQV | saquinavir (antiviral drug) |
| SR | slow/sustained-release [medication]; sarcoplasmic reticulum; sinus rhythm |
| Sr | strontium [element] |
| SRD | single rising dose |
| SRI | serotonin reuptake inhibitor |
| sRNA | soluble RNA |
| SRO | single room occupancy |
| SROM | spontaneous rupture of membranes |
| SRS | slow-reacting substance |
| SRSA | slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis |
| SRT | speech reception threshold on audiometry |
| SS | Sjogren's syndrome |
| ss | sliding scale (insulin); one half (L. semis) |
| SS# | Social Security Number |
| SSA | Social Security Administration |
| SSc | systemic sclerosis |
| SSC | standard saline citrate; saline sodium citrate |
| SSD | somatic symptom disorder |
| SSDI | Social Security disability insurance |
| ssDNA | single-stranded DNA |
| SSE | soap suds enema |
| SSEP | somatosensory evoked potentials |
| SSI | surgical site infection; supplemental security income; sliding scale insulin |
| SSKI | saturated solution of potassium iodide |
| SSN | Social Security Number |
| SSNHL | sudden sensorineural hearing loss |
| SSO | second surgical opinion |
| SSPE | subacute sclerosing panencephalitis |
| SSRI | selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor |
| SSS | sick sinus syndrome |
| SSSS | staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome |
| SSZ | sulfasalazine |
| st | straight; stage (disease); stomach |
| ST | sinus tachycardia |
| st. | let it/them stand |
| Staph | staphylococcus |
| START | simple triage and rapid treatment |
| STAT | immediately, at once (L. statim) |
| std | standard |
| STD | sexually transmitted disease |
| STEMI | ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction |
| ster | sterile |
| STG | serum triglycerides; short-term goals |
| STH | somatotrophic hormone (somatotropin) |
| STI | sexually transmitted infection |
| stim | stimulation |
| STJ | scapulothoracic joint |
| STM | short-term memory; science, technology, and medicine |
| STR | short tandem repeat |
| Strep | streptococcus |
| struct | structure |
| STS | serologic test for syphilis; sit to stand |
| STSG | split thickness skin graft |
| STT | short term tests |
| STU | skin test unit |
| STV | short term variability |
| subcu | subcutaneous(ly) |
| subcut | subcutaneous(ly) |
| subling | sublingual (under tongue) |
| SUBQ | subcutaneous |
| subst | substance |
| SUD | sudden unexpected death; substance use disorder; single-use device |
| SUDEP | sudden unexplained death in epilepsy |
| SUDs | single use devices |
| SUI | stress urinary incontinence |
| SUID | sudden unexpected infant death |
| sup | superior |
| supf. | superficial |
| supp | suppository |
| supr | superior, supervision |
| surg | surgical |
| susp | suspension |
| sut | suture |
| SUV | standardized uptake value |
| SV | stroke volume; supraventricular |
| Sv | sievert (unit) |
| SVC | superior vena cava; slow vital capacity |
| SVCO | superior vena cava obstruction |
| SVD | spontaneous vaginal delivery |
| SVE | sterile vaginal examination |
| SVG | saphenous vein graft |
| SVR | sustained virologic response; systemic vascular resistance |
| SVRI | systemic vascular resistance index |
| SVT | supraventricular tachycardia |
| SVV | stroke volume variation |
| SW | social worker |
| SWD | short wave diathermy |
| SWI | surgical wound infection |
| Sx | symptoms |
| SX P | sexual precautions |
| SXR | skull x-ray |
| sym | symmetrical |
| symp | symptoms; symptomatic |
| syn | synthetic |
| sync | synchronization |
| synth | synthetic |
| syph | syphilis |
| syr | syringe; syrup |
| Sz | seizure |
| Sz P | seizure precautions |
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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.