Medical acronyms

List of medical abbreviations and acronyms

A

Diseases and disorders

• AAA - Abdominal aortic aneurysm
  

• AAS - Aarskog–Scott syndrome
  

• - ABCD syndrome Albinism, black lock, cell migration disorder
  

• ACC - Agenesis of the corpus callosum
  

• ACS - Acute coronary syndrome
  

• ACTH deficiency - Adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency
  

• AD - Alzheimer's Disease
  

• AD - Attachment disorder
  

• ADD - Attention deficit disorder
  

• ADD-RT Attention deficit disorder – residual type
  

• ADEM - Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
  

• ADHD - Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
  

• AERD - Aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease
  

• AF - Atrial fibrillation
  

• AGS - Aicardi–Goutieres syndrome
  

• AHC - Alternating hemiplegia of childhood
  

• AHF - Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever
  

• AIDS - Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
  

• AIP - Acute intermittent porphyria
  

• ALA DD - Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase deficiency porphyria (the disease is known by multiple names)
  

• ALD - Alcoholic liver disease
  

• ALI - Acute lung injury
  

• ALL Acute lymphoblastic lymphoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia
  

• ALS - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  

• AMD - Age-related macular degeneration
  

• AML - Acute myelogenous leukemia
  

• AOCD - Anemia of chronic disease
  

• AODM - Adult onset diabetes mellitus
  

• AOS - Apraxia of speech
  

• APA - Aldosterone-producing adenoma
  

• APS - Antiphospholipid syndrome
  

• ARBD - Alcohol-related birth defects
  

• ARD - Adult Refsum disease
  

• ARDS - Acute respiratory distress syndrome
  

• ARND - Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder
  

• AS - Ankylosing spondylitis
  

• AS - Asperger syndrome
  

• ASCVD - Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
  

• ASD - Atrial septal defect
  

• ASDs - Autism spectrum disorders
  

• ASHF Acute systolic heart failure
  

• ASS - African sleeping sickness
  

• A-T - Ataxia-telangiectasia
  

• AVMs - Arteriovenous malformations
  

B

• BA - Bronchial Asthma
  

• BBS Bashful bladder syndrome (see paruresis)
  

• BEB - Benign essential blepharospasm
  

• BD - Binswanger's disease
  

• BEH Behaviorally/emotionally handicapped
  

• BH Behaviorally handicapped
  

• BMD - Becker's muscular dystrophy
  

• BPAD - Bipolar affective disorder
  

• BPD - Borderline personality disorder (often misattributed to bipolar disorder)
  

• BPH - Benign prostatic hyperplasia
  

• BS - Bloom's syndrome
  

• BSE - Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
  

• BSS - Brown-Séquard syndrome
  

• BV - Bacterial vaginosis
  

C

• CA - Cancer
  

• CACH Childhood ataxia with central nervous system hypomyelination (see vanishing white matter disease)
  

• CAD - Coronary artery disease
  

• - CADASIL Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy
  

• CAP - Community acquired pneumonia
  

• CAPD - Central auditory processing disorder
  

• CCD - Considerable conduct disorder
  

• CCHF - Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever
  

• CCHS - Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome
  

• CCM - Cerebral cavernous malformation
  

• CDG - Congenital disorder of glycosylation
  

• CDGS - Carbohydrate deficient glycoprotein syndrome
  

• CDHF Chronic diastolic heart failure
  

• CEP - Congenital erythropoietic porphyria
  

• CESD - Cholesteryl ester storage disease
  

• CF - Cystic fibrosis
  

• CFIDS - Chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome
  

• CFS - Chronic fatigue syndrome
  

• CGBD - Corticobasal ganglionic degeneration
  

• CH - Cluster headache
  

• - CHARGE syndrome Coloboma of the eye, heart defects, atresia of the nasal choanae, retarded growth & or development, genital abnormalities, ear abnormalities
  

• CHD - Congenital heart disease
  

• CHD - Congenital hip dysplasia
  

• CHD - Coronary heart disease
  

• CHF - Congestive heart failure
  

• CIDP - Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
  

• CIPA - Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis
  

• CIP - Congenital insensitivity to pain
  

• CJD - Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease
  

• CKD - Chronic Kidney Disease
  

• CML - Chronic myelogenous leukemia
  

• CMs - Chiari malformations
  

• CMT disease - Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease
  

• CMT1A Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A
  

• CMT1B Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1B
  

• CMT1C Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1C
  

• CMT1D Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1D
  

• CMT1E Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1E
  

• CMT1F Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1F
  

• CMT1X Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1X
  

• CMT2 Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2
  

• COFS - Cerebro-oculo-facio-skeletal syndrome
  

• COLD - Chronic obstructive lung disease
  

• COPD - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  

• COVID-19 - Coronavirus disease 2019
  

• CP - Cerebral palsy
  

• - CP/CPPS]] - Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome
  

• CPDD - Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease
  

• CPM - Central pontine myelinolysis
  

• CPPS - Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (see UCPPS)
  

• CRE - Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae
  

• CRF - Chronic renal failure
  

• CRKP - Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
  

• CRPS - Complex regional pain syndrome
  

• CSA - Central sleep apnea
  

• CSD - Cat scratch disease
  

• CTE - Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
  

• CTF - Colorado tick fever
  

• CVD - Cardiovascular disease
  

• CWD - Chronic wasting disease
  

D

• DAS - Developmental apraxia of speech
  

• DBA - Diamond–Blackfan anemia
  

• DBMD - Duchenne–Becker muscular dystrophy
  

• DD - Developmental disability
  

• DEF - Deaf
  

• DF - Dengue fever
  

• DH - Developmentally handicapped
  

• DHF - Dengue hemorrhagic fever
  

• DHF - Diastolic heart failure
  

• DHPR - Dihydropteridine reductase deficiency
  

• DI - Diabetes insipidus
  

• DiG - DiGeorge syndrome
  

• DISH - Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis
  

• DJD - Degenerative joint disease
  

• DLB - Dementia with Lewy bodies
  

• DM - Diabetes mellitus
  

• DMD - Duchenne muscular dystrophy
  

• DP - Doss porphyria/ALA dehydratase deficiency/Plumboporphyria (the disease is known by multiple names)
  

• DPT - Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus
  

• DRSP disease - Drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae disease
  

• DS - Down syndrome
  

• DSPS - Delayed sleep phase syndrome
  

• DTs - Delirium tremens
  

• DVD - Developmental verbal dyspraxia
  

• DVT - Deep vein thrombosis
  

E

• ED - Emotionally disturbed
  

• ED - Erectile dysfunction
  

• EDS - Ehlers–Danlos syndrome
  

• EDS - Excessive daytime sleepiness
  

• EEE - Eastern equine encephalitis
  

• EHK - Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis
  

• EMH - Educable mentally handicapped
  

• EMR - Educable mentally retarded
  

• ENS - Epidermal nevus syndrome
  

• EPM Extrapontine myelinolysis (see central pontine myelinolysis)
  

• EPP - Erythropoietic protoporphyria
  

• ESRD - End-stage renal disease
  

• ESS - Empty sella syndrome
  

• EVD - Ebola Virus Disease
  

F

• FAE - Fetal alcohol effects
  

• FAS - Fetal alcohol syndrome
  

• FASDs - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
  

• FFI - Fatal familial insomnia
  

• FMA - Focal muscular atrophies
  

• FMD - Fibromuscular dysplasia
  

• FMS - Fibromyalgia syndrome
  

• FSP - Familial spastic paraparesis
  

• FTD - Frontotemporal dementia
  

• FUO - Fever of unknown origin
  

• FVS - Fetal valproate syndrome
  

• Fx - Fracture
  

• FXS - Fragile X syndrome
  

G

• GAD - Generalized anxiety disorder
  

• GAN - Giant axonal neuropathy
  

• GAS disease - Group A Streptococcal disease
  

• GBS - Guillain–Barré syndrome
  

• GBS disease - Group B Streptococcal disease
  

• GCE - Glycine encephalopathy
  

• GD - Gestational diabetes
  

• GERD - Gastroesophageal reflux disease
  

• GI - Gastrointestinal
  

• GIB - Gastrointestinal bleeding
  

• GN - Glossopharyngeal neuralgia
  

• GSS disease - Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker disease
  

• GT/LD - Gifted and learning disabled
  

• GVHD - Graft-versus-host disease
  

• GWD - Guinea worm disease
  

H

• - H1N1 flu Hemagglutinin Type 1 and Neuraminidase Type 1 influenza
  

• HAS - Holmes–Adie syndrome
  

• HCP - Hereditary coproporphyria
  

• HD - Huntington's disease
  

• HDL2 - Huntington's disease–like 2
  

• - HELLP syndrome Hemolytic anemia, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count syndrome
  

• HeV Infection - Hendra virus infection
  

• HF - Heart failure
  

• HFA - High-functioning autism
  

• HFMD - Hand, foot, and mouth disease
  

• HFRS - Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
  

• HHC or GHC(Haemochromatotis<br> Also Hemochromatosis) HI]] - Hearing impaired
  

• HiB disease - Haemophilus influenzae type B disease
  

• HIBM - Hereditary inclusion body myopathy
  

• HMSN Type III Hereditary motor and sensory polyneuropathy type III (see Dejerine–Sottas syndrome)
  

• HOH - Hard of hearing
  

• HTN - Hypertension
  

• HPRT deficiency - Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase deficiency
  

• HPS - Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
  

• HPV Infection - Human papillomavirus infection
  

• HSP - Hereditary spastic paraplegia
  

I

• IBD - Inflammatory bowel disease
  

• - IBIDS syndrome Ichthyosis, brittle hair, intellectual impairment, decreased fertility, and short stature syndrome
  

• IBM - Inclusion body myositis
  

• IBS - Ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens
  

• IBS - Irritable bowel syndrome
  

• IC/PBS - Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome
  

• - ICF syndrome Immunodeficiency, centromere instability and facial anomalies syndrome
  

• ID - Infectious disease
  

• IED - Intermittent explosive disorder
  

• IFAP syndrome - Ichthyosis follicularis, alopecia, and photophobia syndrome
  

• IHA - Idiopathic hyperaldosteronism
  

• INAD - Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy
  

• IP - Incontinentia pigmenti
  

• IRD - Infantile Refsum disease
  

• IS - Infantile spasm
  

• ITP - Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
  

J

• JAS Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis
  

• JE - Japanese encephalitis
  

• JHD - Juvenile Huntington's disease
  

• JODM - Juvenile onset diabetes mellitus
  

• JRA - Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  

K

• KFD - Kyasanur Forest disease
  

• KS - Kawasaki syndrome
  

• KSS - Kearns–Sayre syndrome
  

• KTS - Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome
  

• KTW Syndrome - Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome
  

L

• LCM - Lymphocytic choriomeningitis
  

• LD - Learning disabilities/differences
  

• LD - Legionnaires' disease
  

• LEMS - Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome
  

• LFA - Low-functioning autism
  

• LGV - Lymphogranuloma venereum
  

• LKS - Landau–Kleffner syndrome
  

• LNS - Lesch–Nyhan syndrome
  

• LP - Lipoid proteinosis
  

• LP Little person/people (see dwarfism)
  

• LUHF - Lujo Hemorrhagic Fever
  

M

• MAC - Mycobacterium avium complex
  

• MBD - Minimal brain dysfunction
  

• MCS - Multiple chemical sensitivities
  

• MD - Muscular dystrophy
  

• MDS - Myoclonic dystonia
  

• MDD - Major depressive disorder
  

• MDR TB - Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis
  

• ME - Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  

• MERS - Middle East respiratory syndrome
  

• MI - Myocardial infarction
  

• MID - Multi-infarct dementia
  

• MJD - Machado-Joseph disease
  

• ML - mucolipidoses
  

• MLD - Metachromatic leukodystrophy
  

• MMA - Monomelic amyotrophy
  

• MMR - Measles, mumps, rubella
  

• MMRV Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella
  

• MND - Motor neuron disease
  

• MODY - Maturity-onset diabetes of the young
  

• MOH - Medication overuse headaches
  

• MPD - Myeloproliferative disorders
  

• MPS I Mucopolysaccharoidosis type I (see Hurler syndrome)
  

• MPS II Mucopolysaccharoidosis type II (see Hunter syndrome)
  

• MPS III Mucopolysaccharoidosis type III (see Sanfilippo syndrome)
  

• MPS IV Mucopolysaccharoidosis type IV (see Morquio syndrome)
  

• MPS VI Mucopolysaccharoidosis type VI (see Maroteaux–Lamy syndrome)
  

• MPS VII Mucopolysaccharoidosis type VII (see Sly syndrome)
  

• MR/DD - Mentally retarded/developmentally disabled
  

• MS - Multiple sclerosis
  

• MSA - Multiple system atrophy
  

• MSDD - Multi-sensory developmental delays
  ==N==

• NAS - Neonatal abstinence syndrome
  

• NBIA - Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation
  

• NCIP - Novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia
  

• NCL - Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
  

• NF1 - Neurofibromatosis type 1
  

• NF2 - Neurofibromatosis type 2
  

• NKH - Nonketotic hyperglycinemia
  

• NLD - Nonverbal learning disability
  

• NMDs - Neuronal migration disorders
  

• NMO - Neuromyelitis optica
  

• NMS - Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
  

• NP - Niemann–Pick disease
  

• NPC1 Niemann–Pick disease, type C1
  

• NPH - Normal pressure hydrocephalus
  

• NTD - Neural tube defect
  

• NTDs - Neural tube defects
  

• NTDs - Neglected tropical diseases
  

O

• OA - Osteoarthritis
  

• OCD - Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  

• ODD - Oppositional defiant disorder
  

• OHF - Omsk hemorrhagic fever
  

• OMA - Oculomotor apraxia
  

• ON - Osteonecrosis
  

• OPC - Oropharyngeal candidiasis
  

• OPCA - Olivopontocerebellar atrophy
  

• OSA - Obstructive sleep apnea
  

P

• PBC - Primary biliary cirrhosis
  

• PBD - Peroxisome biogenesis disorders
  

• PCOS - Polycystic ovarian syndrome
  

• PCT - Porphyria cutanea tarda
  

• PD - Parkinson's disease
  

• PDD - Pervasive developmental disorder
  

• PDD-NOS - Pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified
  

• PDD/NOS - Pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified
  

• PE - Pulmonary embolism
  

• PKAN - Panthothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration
  

• PLMD - Periodic limb movement disorder
  

• PLS - Primary lateral sclerosis
  

• PMD - Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease
  

• PML - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
  

• PMS - Premenstrual syndrome
  

• POTS - Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
  

• PPMA - Post-polio progressive muscular atrophy
  

• PPS - Post-polio syndrome
  

• PSC - Primary sclerosing cholangitis
  

• PSP - Progressive supranuclear palsy
  

• PVL - Periventricular leukomalacia
  

• PW - Port-wine stain
  

Q

• Q fever - Query fever
  

• QPD - Quebec platelet disorder
  

• QPS Quebec platelet syndrome
  

R

• RA - Rheumatoid arthritis
  

• RAD - Reactive airway disease
  

• RIND - Reversible ischemic neurologic deficit
  

• RLF - Retrolental fibroplasia
  

• RLS - Restless legs syndrome
  

• RMDs - Repetitive motion disorders
  

• ROP - Retinopathy of prematurity
  

• RS - Reye's syndrome
  

• RSD - Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
  

• RTI - Respiratory tract infection
  

• RVF - Rift Valley fever
  

S

• SARS - Severe acute respiratory syndrome
  

• SB - Spina bifida
  

• SBMD - Sensory-based motor disorder
  

• SBS - Shaken baby syndrome
  

• SC - Sydenham chorea
  

• SD Saint Vitus's dance (see Sydenham chorea)
  

• SDD - Sensory discrimination disorder
  

• SHF - Systolic heart failure
  

• SIDS - Sudden infant death syndrome
  

• SIRS - Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
  

• SIS - Shaken infant syndrome
  

• SLE - Systemic lupus erythematosus
  

• SM - Selective Mutism
  

• SMA - Spinal muscular atrophy
  

• SMD - Sensory modulation disorder
  

• SMEI - Severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy
  

• SMS - Smith–Magenis syndrome
  

• SOD - Septo-optic dysplasia
  

• SPD - Sensory processing disorder
  

• SPS - Stiff person syndrome
  

• SSPE - Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
  

• STEMI - ST-elevation myocardial infarction
  

• STD - Sexually transmitted disease
  

• SUNCT - Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing
  

• SWS - Sturge–Weber syndrome
  

T

• TAC - Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia
  

• TB - Tuberculosis
  

• TBI - Traumatic brain injury
  

• TCS - Tethered cord syndrome
  

• TEF - Tracheoesophageal fistula
  

• TIA - Transient ischemic attack
  

• TMH - Trainable mentally handicapped
  

• TMJ/TMD - Temporomandibular joint disorder
  

• TMR - Trainable mentally retarded
  

• TN - Trigeminal neuralgia
  

• TOS - Thoracic outlet syndrome
  

• TS - Tourette syndrome
  

• TS - Tuberous sclerosis
  

• TSC - Tuberous sclerosis
  

• TSEs - Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
  

• TSP - Tropical spastic paraparesis
  

• TTH - Tension type headache
  

• TTP - Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
  

U

• UCPPS - Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS + CP/CPPS)
  

• UDA - Urticaria-deafness-amyloidosis
  

• UTI - Urinary tract infection
  

• UC - Ulcerative colitis
  

• URI - Upper respiratory infection
  ==V==

• VCFS - Velo cardio facial syndrome
  

• vCJD - variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease
  

• VD - Venereal disease
  

• VHF - Viral hemorrhagic fever
  

• VHL - Von Hippel–Lindau disease
  

• VP - Variegate porphyria
  

• VSD - Ventricular septal defect
  

• VVC - Vulvovaginal candidiasis
  

• VWD - Von Willebrand disease
  

• VWM disease - Vanishing white matter disease
  

W

• WAGR syndrome - Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, and mental retardation syndrome
  

• WD - Wilson's disease
  

• WEE - Western equine encephalitis
  

• WS - Williams syndrome
  

X

• X-ALD - X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy
  

• X-CALD X-linked cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy
  

• XDH and AOX dual deficiency Xanthine dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase combined deficiency
  

• XDH deficiency Xanthine dehydrogenase deficiency
  

• XDP - X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism
  

• XDR TB - Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis
  

• XHED - X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia
  

• XLSA - X-linked sideroblastic anemia
  

• XMEN X-linked immunodeficiency with magnesium defect, Epstein-Barr virus infection and neoplasia
  

• XP - Xeroderma pigmentosa
  

• XSCID - X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency
  

• XXX syndrome - Triple X syndrome
  

Y

• YF - Yellow Fever
  

• YNS - Yellow nail syndrome
  

• YSS - Young–Simpson syndrome
  

• YVS - Yunis–Varon syndrome
  

• YY syndrome - Double Y syndrome
  

Z

• ZAP-70 deficiency - Zeta-associated-protein 70 deficiency
  

• ZBLS - Zadik–Barak–Levin syndrome
  

• ZES - Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
  

• ZLS - Zimmermann-Laband syndrome
  

• ZS - Zellweger syndrome
  

• ZTTK syndrome - Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim syndrome
  

See also

• Acronyms in healthcare