What Does BPM Mean in Medical Terms?

BPM stands for beats per minute. Number of heartbeats in one minute.

Where you will see BPM

You will most often see BPM in observation charts and bedside assessments, cardiology notes and heart test reports.

Example

A chart note might use “BPM” as shorthand for beats per minute when documenting a patient's care.

Related abbreviations

• 2g Na diet — two-gram sodium diet
• 4AT — 4 A's test
• A&O — alert and oriented
• A&P — auscultation and percussion
• AAA — abdominal aortic aneurysm
• AAA repair — abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
• ABI — ankle-brachial index
• ABPI — ankle-brachial pressure index

Browse the full Medical Abbreviations guide — 5,715 entries, searchable A–Z and by specialty.