Medical Abbreviations Starting With "P"

This page lists 516 medical abbreviations starting with "P", each with its full form and a plain-English meaning. Where one abbreviation has more than one common meaning, each meaning has its own row — context in the chart is what tells them apart. Terms flagged ⚠ Error-prone are on recognised error-prone lists and should be written out in full. Use the filter box to narrow this list, the search on the main guide to search all 5,715 entries, or jump to another letter:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N 0–9 O Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Abbreviation	Full form	What it means	Used in
P	pulse	Heartbeat felt at an artery, counted per minute	Vitals & Assessment
P N E S	psychogenic nonepileptic events (term)	Preferred term for non-electrical seizure-like events	Neurology Psychiatry
P-POSSUM	Portsmouth POSSUM	Surgical mortality prediction variant	Surgery
p-tau	phosphorylated tau (blood/CSF)	Alzheimer marker protein	Neurology Laboratory
p.c.	post cibum (after meals)	Latin charting for after meals	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing
p.m.	post meridiem (afternoon/evening)	Charting shorthand for afternoon or evening	General Medical Nursing
P1NP	procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide	Bone formation marker	Laboratory Endocrinology Musculoskeletal
PA	physician assistant	Clinician practising medicine with physician collaboration	General Medical
PA	pulmonary artery	Main artery carrying blood from heart to lungs	Cardiology
PA cath	pulmonary artery catheter	Heart pressure monitoring catheter	Cardiology Emergency & Critical Care
PA view	posteroanterior view	X-ray taken back to front	Radiology & Imaging
PAC	premature atrial contraction	Extra early heartbeat from the upper chambers	Cardiology
PAC	pulmonary artery catheter	Catheter measuring pressures in the heart and lung artery	Emergency & Critical Care Cardiology
paced bottle	paced bottle feeding (method)	Slow responsive bottle technique mimicking breastfeeding	Pediatrics Nursing
PACG	primary angle-closure glaucoma	Raised eye pressure from a closed drainage angle	General Medical Emergency & Critical Care
pacifier	pacifier use (guidance)	Soother use and its dental and sleep guidance	Pediatrics Nursing
pacifier sleep	pacifier at sleep (protective association)	Soother offered at sleep linked to lower SIDS risk	Pediatrics Nursing
PaCO2	partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood	Measure of carbon dioxide dissolved in artery blood	Respiratory Laboratory
PACS	picture archiving and communication system	System storing and viewing medical images	Radiology & Imaging
PACU	post-anesthesia care unit	Recovery area after anesthesia and surgery	Surgery Nursing
PAD	peripheral arterial disease	Narrowing of arteries supplying the limbs	Cardiology
PAD	peripheral artery disease	Narrowed arteries, usually in the legs	Cardiology
PADSS	Post-Anesthetic Discharge Scoring System	Day-surgery discharge readiness score	Surgery Nursing
PAE	prostatic artery embolization	Blocking prostate arteries to shrink the prostate	Radiology & Imaging
Paget	Paget's disease of bone	Disorder of bone remodelling causing weak enlarged bones	Endocrinology Musculoskeletal
PAH	pulmonary arterial hypertension	High lung artery pressure from diseased lung arteries themselves	Cardiology Respiratory
PAI	Personality Assessment Inventory	Personality and psychopathology test	Psychiatry
PAINAD	Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (scale)	Observational pain scale — dementia	Neurology Nursing Psychiatry
painDETECT	painDETECT questionnaire	Neuropathic pain screening tool	Neurology Vitals & Assessment
paired exchange	kidney paired donation (exchange)	Swapping donors between incompatible pairs	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
palatoplasty	palatoplasty (palate repair)	Cleft palate surgery	Pediatrics Surgery
PALB2	partner and localizer of BRCA2	Inherited breast cancer risk gene	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PALBO	palbociclib (chart shorthand)	CDK4/6 blocker for breast cancer shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
palivizumab	palivizumab (RSV antibody)	Monthly RSV antibody for high-risk infants	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
pallid spells	pallid breath-holding spells (vagal)	Pain-triggered pale fainting spells of toddlers	Pediatrics Neurology Cardiology
PALM-COEIN	PALM-COEIN (bleeding causes)	Classification of abnormal bleeding causes	Obstetrics & Gynecology
palmar arch	palmar arch (hand arteries)	Interconnected hand arteries	Musculoskeletal
palmar grasp	palmar grasp reflex (infant)	Hand gripping reflex of babies	Pediatrics Neurology
PALS	Pediatric Advanced Life Support	Standardised emergency care system for children	Emergency & Critical Care Pediatrics
PANDAS	pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus	Strep-linked abrupt OCD and tic hypothesis	Pediatrics Neurology Psychiatry Infectious Disease
panic	panic disorder (diagnosis)	Recurrent panic attacks — diagnosis	Psychiatry
PANIT	panitumumab (chart shorthand)	EGFR antibody shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
Panner	Panner disease (elbow capitellum)	Childhood elbow bone blood-supply problem	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
PANS	pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome	Abrupt OCD and eating restriction syndrome	Pediatrics Psychiatry Neurology
PANSS	Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale	Schizophrenia symptom scale	Psychiatry
PaO2	partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood	Measure of oxygen dissolved in artery blood	Respiratory Laboratory
Pap	Papanicolaou test (screening)	Cervical screening smear — screening	Obstetrics & Gynecology Laboratory
PAP	pulmonary alveolar proteinosis	Rare disease where protein fills the lung air sacs	Respiratory
PAP	pulmonary artery pressure	Pressure in the artery carrying blood to the lungs	Cardiology Respiratory
papilledema	papilledema (finding)	Swollen optic discs from raised pressure — finding	Neurology
PAPR	powered air-purifying respirator	Battery-powered filtered air hood for high-risk care	Nursing Infectious Disease Emergency & Critical Care
PAPVR	partial anomalous pulmonary venous return	Some lung veins draining wrongly	Pediatrics Cardiology
parachute	parachute reflex (protective)	Arm extension when tipped forward	Pediatrics Neurology
paramyotonia	paramyotonia congenita (cold stiffness)	Cold-worsened muscle stiffness disorder	Neurology
parasuicide	parasuicide (older term)	Deliberate self-harm regardless of intent	Psychiatry
parathyroidectomy MIP	minimally invasive parathyroidectomy	Focused small-incision parathyroid removal	Surgery Endocrinology
parietal lobe	parietal lobe (anatomy)	Upper-side brain region for sensation and space	Neurology
parotidectomy	parotidectomy (superficial/total)	Removal of the parotid saliva gland	Surgery
paroxysmal cough	paroxysmal coughing (pertussis stage)	Burst coughing stage of whooping cough	Pediatrics Respiratory Infectious Disease
PARPi	PARP inhibitor	Targeted pill class for BRCA-related cancers	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
partial code	partial code (chemical code)	Resuscitation with medicines but no chest compressions or tube	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
partial nephrectomy	partial nephrectomy (nephron-sparing)	Removing a kidney tumor while keeping the kidney	Surgery Renal & Nephrology Hematology & Oncology
partial workup	partial sepsis workup (infant phrase)	Evaluation without spinal fluid testing	Pediatrics Infectious Disease
parvo B19	parvovirus B19 (infection)	Fifth disease virus — infection	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Laboratory
PAS	periodic acid-Schiff stain	Stain highlighting fungi and basement membranes	Laboratory Infectious Disease
PASAT	Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test	Attention and calculation test	Neurology Psychiatry
PASI	Psoriasis Area and Severity Index	Psoriasis severity score	General Medical Musculoskeletal
PASP	pulmonary artery systolic pressure	Echo estimate of lung artery pressure	Cardiology Radiology & Imaging Respiratory
passive SI	passive suicidal ideation	Wishing to be dead without a plan	Psychiatry
Pastia	Pastia lines (scarlet fever sign)	Rash darkening in skin folds	Pediatrics Infectious Disease
PAT	paroxysmal atrial tachycardia	Sudden episodes of fast rhythm from the upper chambers	Cardiology
patching	patching therapy (amblyopia)	Covering the stronger eye to train the weaker	Pediatrics Nursing
pathologic jaundice	pathologic jaundice (newborn warning)	Jaundice in the first day or rising fast	Pediatrics Emergency & Critical Care
PAV	proportional assist ventilation	Support proportional to patient effort	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
Pavlik	Pavlik harness (treatment)	Hip dysplasia harness — treatment	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
PAVM	pulmonary arteriovenous malformation	Abnormal connection between artery and vein in the lung	Cardiology Respiratory
PAWP	pulmonary artery wedge pressure	Pressure measured with a catheter wedged in a lung artery	Cardiology Respiratory
PAZO	pazopanib (chart shorthand)	Kidney and sarcoma pill shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
PBC	primary biliary cholangitis	Autoimmune disease damaging small bile ducts	Gastroenterology
PBSC	peripheral blood stem cells	Stem cells collected from blood for transplant	Hematology & Oncology
PBSCT	peripheral blood stem cell transplant	Stem cell transplant using cells collected from blood	Hematology & Oncology
PbtO2	brain tissue oxygen tension	Probe measuring brain oxygen directly	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
PC	after meals	After eating, from Latin post cibum	Prescription & Medication Orders
PC	posterior chamber (eye)	Space behind the iris of the eye	General Medical
PC ventilator	pressure control (ventilation mode)	Ventilator mode delivering a set breath pressure	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
pc-ASPECTS	posterior circulation ASPECTS	Brainstem stroke scan score	Neurology Radiology & Imaging
PCA	parietal cell antibody	Antibody linked to pernicious anemia	Laboratory Gastroenterology Hematology & Oncology
PCA	patient-controlled analgesia	Patient-triggered pain medicine pump	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing Surgery
PCA	posterior cerebral artery	Artery supplying the back lower part of the brain	Neurology
PCA	posterior cortical atrophy	Dementia syndrome first affecting vision processing	Neurology
PCA anatomy	posterior cerebral artery (anatomy)	Artery feeding the back of the brain	Neurology
PCB	postcoital bleeding	Vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PCB	procarbazine (chart shorthand)	Lymphoma chemotherapy shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
PCC	prothrombin complex concentrate	Blood product supplying several clotting factors	Hematology & Oncology Emergency & Critical Care
PCD	primary ciliary dyskinesia	Inherited disorder of airway cilia causing repeated infections	Respiratory
PCDAI	Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index	Child Crohn severity score	Pediatrics Gastroenterology
PCDF	posterior cervical discectomy and fusion	Neck fusion from the back	Surgery Neurology
PCEA	patient-controlled epidural analgesia	Patient-triggered pain medicine through an epidural	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing Surgery Obstetrics & Gynecology
PCH	paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria	Rare cold-triggered hemolysis, classically in children	Hematology & Oncology Pediatrics
PCI	percutaneous coronary intervention	Catheter procedure to open a narrowed heart artery	Cardiology
PCI	prophylactic cranial irradiation	Preventive brain radiation in some lung cancers	Hematology & Oncology Radiology & Imaging Respiratory
PCIOL	posterior chamber intraocular lens	Standard implanted lens position	General Medical Surgery
PCL	posterior cruciate ligament	Knee ligament preventing backward shin movement	Musculoskeletal
PCL recon	posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction	Rebuilding the knee's back ligament	Surgery Musculoskeletal
PCL-5	PTSD Checklist for DSM-5	Twenty-question self-report scale for trauma symptoms	Psychiatry
PCN	penicillin	Original penicillin antibiotic class	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
PCN	percutaneous nephrostomy	Kidney drain placed through the back	Radiology & Imaging Renal & Nephrology
PCNL	percutaneous nephrolithotomy	Kidney stone removal through a small skin opening	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
PCOM	posterior communicating artery	Small connecting artery at the brain base	Neurology
PCOS	polycystic ovary syndrome	Hormone condition affecting ovaries and metabolism	Endocrinology Obstetrics & Gynecology
PCP	Pneumocystis pneumonia	Fungal lung infection seen mainly in weak immunity	Respiratory Infectious Disease
PCP	primary care provider	Main clinician coordinating a patient's everyday care	General Medical
PCR	polymerase chain reaction	Lab method copying DNA to detect germs or genes	Laboratory Infectious Disease
PCR	protein-to-creatinine ratio	Urine test estimating total protein loss	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
PCS	post-concussion syndrome	Lasting symptoms following a concussion	Neurology
PCU	progressive care unit	Step-down unit name in many hospitals	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
PCV	packed cell volume	Percentage of blood made up of red cells	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PCV	pneumococcal conjugate vaccine	Childhood vaccine against pneumococcal bacteria	Infectious Disease Pediatrics
PCV	pressure-controlled ventilation	Ventilator mode delivering breaths to a set pressure	Respiratory
PCWP	pulmonary capillary wedge pressure	Pressure estimate in the left side of the heart via a lung catheter	Cardiology Respiratory
PD	panic disorder	Condition with repeated unexpected panic attacks	Psychiatry
PD	Parkinson disease	Movement disorder causing tremor, stiffness and slowness	Neurology
PD	peritoneal dialysis	Dialysis using the lining of the abdomen to filter blood	Renal & Nephrology
PD	progressive disease	Cancer growing despite treatment	Hematology & Oncology
PD dental	probing depth (dental)	Depth of the gum pocket around a tooth	General Medical
PD-L1	programmed death-ligand 1	Protein helping decide immunotherapy use	Hematology & Oncology Laboratory
PDA	patent ductus arteriosus	Fetal blood vessel that stays open after birth	Cardiology Pediatrics
PDA	posterior descending artery	Artery supplying the back of the heart	Cardiology
PDA coronary	posterior descending artery (coronary)	Artery on the back underside of the heart	Cardiology
PDD	persistent depressive disorder	Long-lasting low-grade depression over years	Psychiatry
PDG	pigmentary dispersion glaucoma	Pigment-related glaucoma of younger adults	General Medical
PDHM	pasteurized donor human milk	Banked donor milk for fragile babies	Pediatrics
PDPH	post-dural puncture headache	Headache after a spinal procedure from fluid leakage	Surgery Neurology
PDQ-39	Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39	Parkinson quality-of-life measure	Neurology
PDR	pan-drug-resistant	Organism resistant to all tested antibiotics	Infectious Disease Laboratory
PDR	proliferative diabetic retinopathy	Advanced diabetic retina damage with new vessels	General Medical Endocrinology
PDW	platelet distribution width	Variation in platelet size	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PE	physical examination	Hands-on assessment of the body by a clinician	General Medical
PE	pulmonary embolism	Blood clot that travels to and blocks a lung artery	Cardiology Respiratory
PE therapy	prolonged exposure (therapy)	Trauma therapy approaching feared memories	Psychiatry
PE tube	pressure equalization tube	Small ear ventilation tube, also called a grommet	General Medical Pediatrics Surgery
PEA	pulseless electrical activity	Heart electrical activity present but no pulse or pumping	Cardiology Emergency & Critical Care
peak flow child	peak flow monitoring (childhood)	Home blow meter tracking — childhood	Pediatrics Respiratory Nursing
PEARL	pupils equal and reactive to light	Basic pupil examination finding	Neurology General Medical Vitals & Assessment
PEC	preeclampsia (shorthand)	Pregnancy blood-pressure disorder shorthand	Obstetrics & Gynecology
pec major	pectoralis major (muscle)	Large chest muscle	Musculoskeletal General Medical
pec minor	pectoralis minor (muscle)	Small chest muscle under the major	Musculoskeletal
PEC w SF	preeclampsia with severe features	Preeclampsia with danger signs shorthand	Obstetrics & Gynecology Emergency & Critical Care
PECARN	Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network rule	Decision rules for imaging injured children	Emergency & Critical Care Pediatrics Radiology & Imaging
PECARN febrile	PECARN febrile infant rule	Low-risk febrile baby criteria	Pediatrics Infectious Disease Emergency & Critical Care
pedicle flap	pedicled flap	Tissue moved while keeping its original blood supply	Surgery
PEEP	positive end-expiratory pressure	Pressure kept in the lungs at the end of a breath on a ventilator	Respiratory
PEEP setting	positive end-expiratory pressure (setting)	End-breath pressure keeping lungs open — setting	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
peer review	peer review (clinical)	Colleague evaluation of care quality	Nursing General Medical
PEF	peak expiratory flow	Fastest speed of a forced breath out	Respiratory
PEFR	peak expiratory flow rate	Fastest rate air can be blown out, measured with a peak flow meter	Respiratory
PEG	percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy	Feeding tube placed through the skin into the stomach	Gastroenterology Surgery
PEG scale	pain enjoyment general activity scale	Three-item chronic pain impact scale	Vitals & Assessment General Medical
PEG tube	percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube	Feeding tube placed through the abdominal wall with a scope	Gastroenterology Surgery Nursing
PEG-J	PEG with jejunal extension	Stomach tube extended into the small bowel for feeding	Gastroenterology Surgery
PEJ	percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy	Feeding tube placed into the small bowel with a scope	Gastroenterology Surgery
PEM	pemetrexed (chart shorthand)	Lung cancer chemotherapy shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
PEMBRO	pembrolizumab (chart shorthand)	PD-1 immune checkpoint drug shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
penile implant	penile prosthesis implantation	Implanting an erection device	Surgery Renal & Nephrology
Penrose	Penrose drain	Soft tube drain removing fluid after surgery	Surgery Nursing
PENT	pentostatin (chart shorthand)	Hairy cell leukemia drug shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
penumbra	ischemic penumbra (imaging)	Salvageable tissue around a stroke	Neurology Radiology & Imaging Emergency & Critical Care
PEP	post-exposure prophylaxis	Medicine taken after exposure to prevent infection	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
PERC	Pulmonary Embolism Rule-out Criteria	Criteria helping rule out lung clots in low-risk patients	Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
percent weight loss	percent weight loss (newborn check)	Birth weight loss proportion watched after birth	Pediatrics Nursing
perception MSE	perception (mental status element)	Hallucinations and illusions section	Psychiatry
PERCIST	PET response criteria in solid tumors	Standard for judging tumor response on PET	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
percutaneous pedicle	percutaneous pedicle screw fixation	Screws placed through the skin for spine stabilization	Surgery Musculoskeletal
percutaneous trach	percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy	Bedside neck airway created over a wire	Respiratory Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
Perf	perforation	A hole through the wall of an organ	Gastroenterology Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
perforators	perforating arteries (brain)	Tiny arteries branching directly into deep brain	Neurology
perilymph fistula	perilymph fistula (diagnosis)	Inner ear fluid leak — diagnosis	Neurology Surgery
perineorrhaphy	perineorrhaphy (perineum repair)	Rebuilding the perineal body	Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery
perio	periodontics (shorthand)	Gum specialty shorthand	General Medical
periodic paralysis	familial periodic paralysis (group)	Episodic weakness with potassium shifts	Neurology Endocrinology
peripartum hysterectomy	peripartum hysterectomy (emergency)	Removing the womb around delivery for bleeding	Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
peripheral draw	peripheral blood draw	Blood taken from a vein rather than a line	Nursing Laboratory
peritoneal cath	peritoneal dialysis catheter placement	Belly catheter for home dialysis	Surgery Renal & Nephrology
peritonitis PD	PD peritonitis (infection)	Belly lining infection in PD	Renal & Nephrology Infectious Disease Emergency & Critical Care
periungual fibroma	periungual fibromas (tuberous sclerosis)	Nail-fold growths of tuberous sclerosis	Pediatrics Neurology
PERLA	pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation	Normal pupil response check during eye examination	Vitals & Assessment Neurology
Permcath	permanent catheter	Tunnelled long-term line used for dialysis access	Renal & Nephrology
peroneal art	peroneal (fibular) artery	Side lower-leg artery	Musculoskeletal
peroneus longus	peroneus longus (fibularis)	Outer lower-leg muscle	Musculoskeletal
PERRL	pupils equal, round, reactive to light	Normal pupil size, shape and light response finding	Neurology Vitals & Assessment
PERRLA	pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation	Normal pupil response check during eye examination	Vitals & Assessment Neurology
personality disorders group	personality disorders (cluster A/B/C group)	Enduring personality pattern conditions	Psychiatry
PERT	pertuzumab (chart shorthand)	HER2 antibody shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
Perthes	Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (hip)	Childhood hip ball blood-supply problem	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
pertussis	pertussis (whooping cough diagnosis)	Whooping cough — diagnosis	Pediatrics Respiratory Infectious Disease
PESI	Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index	Mortality risk score for pulmonary embolism	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care Cardiology
pessary preterm	Arabin pessary (preterm prevention)	Silicone ring supporting the cervix	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PET	positron emission tomography	Scan showing metabolic activity in tissues	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
PET test PD	peritoneal equilibration test	Membrane transport test in PD	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
PET-CT	positron emission tomography-computed tomography	Combined metabolic and CT imaging scan	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
PET/CT	positron emission tomography computed tomography	Combined metabolic and anatomic imaging	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
PET/MRI	positron emission tomography magnetic resonance imaging	Combined metabolic and MRI imaging	Radiology & Imaging
PEWS	Pediatric Early Warning Score	Child deterioration warning score	Pediatrics Emergency & Critical Care Vitals & Assessment Nursing
PF	plantar fasciitis	Heel pain from irritation of the sole tissue band	Musculoskeletal
PF4	platelet factor 4	Platelet protein tested in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PFGE	pulsed-field gel electrophoresis	Older DNA fingerprinting method for outbreak tracing	Laboratory Infectious Disease
PFJ replacement	patellofemoral joint replacement	Kneecap joint replacement	Surgery Musculoskeletal
PFO	patent foramen ovale	Small flap opening between the upper chambers that did not close	Cardiology
PFO closure	patent foramen ovale closure (stroke)	Closing a heart hole after unexplained stroke	Neurology Cardiology Surgery
PFPS	patellofemoral pain syndrome	Pain around or behind the kneecap	Musculoskeletal
PFS	progression-free survival	Time lived without cancer growing	Hematology & Oncology
PFT	pulmonary function test	Breathing tests measuring how well the lungs work	Respiratory
PGD	primary graft dysfunction	Early severe dysfunction of a transplanted organ	Cardiology Respiratory Surgery
PGE1	prostaglandin E1 (ductal therapy)	Infusion keeping the fetal channel open	Pediatrics Cardiology Prescription & Medication Orders Emergency & Critical Care
PH	pinhole (vision testing)	Vision checked through a pinhole to test for refractive error	General Medical
pH	potential of hydrogen	Measure of acidity or alkalinity	Laboratory General Medical
PH	pulmonary hypertension	High blood pressure in the lung arteries	Cardiology Respiratory
PHACE	PHACE syndrome (hemangioma association)	Large face hemangioma with other anomalies	Pediatrics Cardiology Neurology
phaco	phacoemulsification (shorthand)	Ultrasound cataract removal technique shorthand	General Medical Surgery
Phaeo	phaeochromocytoma	Adrenal tumour releasing excess adrenaline-like hormones	Endocrinology
phantom pain	phantom limb pain (syndrome)	Pain felt in an amputated limb	Neurology Surgery Musculoskeletal
PharmD	Doctor of Pharmacy	Pharmacy doctorate qualification	General Medical Prescription & Medication Orders
phenol block	phenol neurolysis (block)	Alcohol-like injection quieting a nerve	Neurology Musculoskeletal
pheo crisis	pheochromocytoma crisis (emergency)	Catecholamine surge emergency	Emergency & Critical Care Endocrinology Cardiology
Philadelphia	Philadelphia collar (type)	Foam rigid neck collar type	Musculoskeletal Emergency & Critical Care
Philadelphia criteria	Philadelphia criteria (febrile infant)	Low-risk febrile infant criteria set	Pediatrics Infectious Disease
Phleb	phlebotomist	Professional who draws blood samples	Laboratory Nursing
PHN	postherpetic neuralgia	Nerve pain lasting after a shingles rash heals	Neurology
Phos	phosphate	Mineral measured in blood, linked to bone health	Laboratory Renal & Nephrology
photoscreening	photoscreening (vision)	Camera-based child vision screening	Pediatrics
phototherapy	phototherapy (jaundice)	Light treatment for jaundice	Pediatrics Nursing
PHQ-2	Patient Health Questionnaire-2	Two-question depression screening scale	Psychiatry
PHQ-9	Patient Health Questionnaire-9	Nine-question depression severity scale	Psychiatry
PHQ-9A	PHQ-9 modified for adolescents	Teen depression questionnaire version	Psychiatry Pediatrics
phrenic n	phrenic nerve (anatomy)	Nerve driving the diaphragm	Neurology Respiratory
physeal	physeal fracture (growth plate term)	Growth plate fracture term	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
physiologic jaundice	physiologic jaundice (newborn normal)	Normal newborn bilirubin rise	Pediatrics
PI	performance improvement (abbreviation)	Hospital quality program	Nursing General Medical
PI	pressure injury	Skin and tissue damage from prolonged pressure	Nursing
PI	protease inhibitor (HIV)	HIV drug class blocking viral protein cutting	Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
PI-RADS v2	Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2	Prostate MRI suspicion categories	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
PIBD classes	Paris classification (pediatric IBD)	Child IBD pattern classification	Pediatrics Gastroenterology
pica	pica (eating non-food)	Eating non-food items	Psychiatry Pediatrics
PICA	posterior inferior cerebellar artery	Artery feeding the lower cerebellum and brainstem	Neurology
pica lead	pica (lead risk)	Non-food eating raising lead risk	Pediatrics Psychiatry
PICC neonate	neonatal PICC (line)	Arm-to-heart line of newborns	Pediatrics Nursing
picky eating	picky eating (developmental)	Common selective eating of toddlers	Pediatrics
PICU	pediatric intensive care unit	Unit for critically ill children	Emergency & Critical Care Pediatrics
PID	pelvic inflammatory disease	Infection of the uterus, tubes and ovaries	Infectious Disease Obstetrics & Gynecology
Pierre Robin	Pierre Robin sequence (airway)	Small jaw, tongue fallback and cleft palate sequence	Pediatrics Respiratory Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
pIGFBP-1	phosphorylated IGFBP-1 (cervical test)	Cervical protein test for preterm labor	Obstetrics & Gynecology Laboratory
pigtail	pigtail catheter drainage	Small curled drain for fluid collections	Radiology & Imaging Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
PIH	pregnancy-induced hypertension	High blood pressure caused by pregnancy	Obstetrics & Gynecology Cardiology
PIN	posterior interosseous nerve	Deep branch of the radial nerve	Neurology Musculoskeletal
pink pulseless	pink pulseless hand (elbow emergency)	Warm hand without pulse after elbow fracture	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal Emergency & Critical Care
pink slip	pink slip (involuntary hold, Ohio)	Ohio involuntary hospitalization form nickname	Psychiatry
pinpoint pupils	pinpoint pupils (finding)	Extremely small pupils, as in opioid effect or pons injury	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
PIP	proximal interphalangeal joint	Middle joint of a finger or toe	Musculoskeletal
Pip-tazo	piperacillin-tazobactam	Broad combination antibiotic medicine	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
PIPP	Premature Infant Pain Profile	Pain score for premature babies	Pediatrics Nursing
PIRADS	Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System	Standard categories for prostate MRI	Radiology & Imaging
PIRRT	prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy	Extended intermittent ICU dialysis family	Renal & Nephrology Emergency & Critical Care
Pit	Pitocin (charting shorthand)	Oxytocin infusion shorthand in labor	Obstetrics & Gynecology Nursing Prescription & Medication Orders
Pit augmentation	oxytocin augmentation (labor)	Strengthening labor contractions with oxytocin	Obstetrics & Gynecology
Pit induction	oxytocin induction (labor)	Starting labor with oxytocin	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PIV	parainfluenza virus	Croup-causing respiratory virus group	Infectious Disease Respiratory Pediatrics Laboratory
PJI	prosthetic joint infection	Infection around an artificial joint	Musculoskeletal Infectious Disease
PJP	Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia	Lung infection occurring mainly in people with weakened immunity	Infectious Disease Respiratory
PK enhancer	pharmacokinetic enhancer	Booster drug raising levels of HIV medicines	Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
PKD	polycystic kidney disease	Inherited condition causing many kidney cysts	Renal & Nephrology
PKP	penetrating keratoplasty	Full-thickness cornea transplant	General Medical Surgery
PKU	phenylketonuria	Inherited condition affecting phenylalanine breakdown	Laboratory Pediatrics Endocrinology
PLA2R	phospholipase A2 receptor antibody	Antibody marker in membranous kidney disease	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
plagiocephaly helmet	cranial orthosis (helmet)	Head reshaping helmet	Pediatrics
Plain film	plain radiograph	Basic X-ray image without contrast	Radiology & Imaging
plan SI	suicidal plan (assessment element)	Specific method considered for self-harm	Psychiatry
plasmapheresis	plasmapheresis (antibody removal)	Antibody filtering — transplant	Renal & Nephrology Surgery Laboratory
PLASMIC	PLASMIC score	Score estimating TTP likelihood	Hematology & Oncology Emergency & Critical Care
PLB	posterolateral branch (coronary)	Branch supplying the back-side heart wall	Cardiology
pleura parietal	parietal pleura (anatomy)	Lining of the chest wall	Respiratory
pleura visceral	visceral pleura (anatomy)	Lining stuck to the lung surface	Respiratory
pleural cath	tunneled pleural catheter (procedure)	Long-term chest fluid drain placed for home use	Respiratory Surgery
pleurectomy	pleurectomy (procedure)	Removing part of the lung lining	Respiratory Surgery
pleurodesis chemical	chemical pleurodesis (procedure)	Sealing the lung lining to stop fluid returning	Respiratory Surgery
PLEX	plasma exchange (neuro)	Blood filtering for neuroimmune attacks — neuro	Neurology Laboratory
PLIF	posterior lumbar interbody fusion	Back fusion from behind	Surgery Musculoskeletal
PLMD	periodic limb movement disorder	Repetitive limb movements during sleep	Neurology
PLMS	periodic limb movements of sleep	Repeated leg movements during sleep	Neurology Respiratory
Plt	platelet	Small blood fragment that helps clotting	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
plugged duct	plugged duct (lactation)	Blocked milk duct lump	Obstetrics & Gynecology Nursing
Plumpy'Nut	Plumpy'Nut (RUTF brand)	Therapeutic peanut paste brand	Pediatrics
PLUS disease	plus disease (ROP)	Severe vessel dilation marking active ROP	General Medical Pediatrics
PM	polymyositis	Autoimmune disease causing muscle inflammation and weakness	Musculoskeletal
PMB	postmenopausal bleeding	Vaginal bleeding after the menopause	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PMDD	premenstrual dysphoric disorder	Severe mood symptoms in the days before a period	Psychiatry Obstetrics & Gynecology
Pmean	mean airway pressure (measurement)	Average airway pressure over the cycle	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
PMH	past medical history	Previous illnesses, operations and conditions	General Medical
PMI	point of maximal impulse	Spot on the chest where the heartbeat is felt strongest	Cardiology
pMMR	proficient mismatch repair	Intact DNA mismatch repair in a tumor	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PMP	previous menstrual period (or postmenopausal)	Period before the last, or after menopause	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PMR	polymyalgia rheumatica	Inflammatory condition causing shoulder and hip pain and stiffness	Musculoskeletal
PMS	premenstrual syndrome	Physical and emotional symptoms in the days before a period	Obstetrics & Gynecology Psychiatry
PMS	pulse, motor, sensation	Checks of pulse, movement and feeling in a limb	Emergency & Critical Care Musculoskeletal
PMS2	postmeiotic segregation increased 2	Lynch syndrome DNA repair gene	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology Gastroenterology
PN	parenteral nutrition	Nutrition given through a vein	Gastroenterology Nursing
PN	peripheral neuropathy	Damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord	Neurology
PNA	pneumonia	Infection inflaming the air sacs of the lungs	Respiratory Infectious Disease
PNB	peripheral nerve block	Numbing injection around a nerve	Surgery
PNC	prenatal care	Health care during pregnancy before birth	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PND	paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea	Sudden night-time breathlessness that wakes a person	Cardiology Respiratory
PNES	psychogenic nonepileptic seizures	Seizure-like episodes without abnormal brain electrical activity	Neurology Psychiatry
pneumatic retinopexy	pneumatic retinopexy (gas bubble)	Gas bubble repair of a retinal detachment	Surgery
PNF	primary nonfunction (transplant)	Transplant organ that never works	Renal & Nephrology Surgery
PNS	peripheral nervous system	Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord	Neurology
PO	per os	By mouth, describing how a medicine is taken	Prescription & Medication Orders
PO challenge	oral challenge (feeding)	Trial of swallowing after a procedure or illness	Nursing Neurology
POAG	primary open-angle glaucoma	Raised eye pressure damaging the optic nerve, open-angle type	General Medical
POC device	portable oxygen concentrator	Battery oxygen machine for travel	Respiratory
POCT	point-of-care testing	Testing done at the bedside rather than a central lab	Laboratory Nursing General Medical
POCUS	point-of-care ultrasound	Bedside ultrasound by the treating clinician	Radiology & Imaging Emergency & Critical Care Nursing
POD	postoperative day	Number of days since an operation	Surgery Nursing
POEM	peroral endoscopic myotomy	Scope-based muscle cutting for achalasia through the mouth	Gastroenterology Surgery
POGO	percentage of glottic opening (view score)	How much of the voice box opening is seen	Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
POI	primary ovarian insufficiency	Loss of normal ovarian function before age 40	Obstetrics & Gynecology Endocrinology
Poison Control	Poison Control (hotline resource)	National poison help line resource	Pediatrics Emergency & Critical Care General Medical
poison prevention	poison-proofing (home safety)	Locked storage of medicines and chemicals guidance	Pediatrics Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
POLST	Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment	Portable medical order form for serious illness	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care General Medical
poly	polyhydramnios (shorthand)	Excess amniotic fluid shorthand	Obstetrics & Gynecology
POM	pomalidomide (chart shorthand)	Myeloma immune drug shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
Pompe	Pompe disease (glycogen storage II)	Muscle and heart glycogen disorder	Pediatrics Laboratory Cardiology
pons	pons (anatomy)	Bulging middle brainstem segment	Neurology
PONV	postoperative nausea and vomiting	Sickness after an operation and anaesthesia	Surgery Nursing
pool fence	pool fencing (four-sided isolation)	Barrier fencing separating pools from houses	Pediatrics Nursing
poor feeding infant	poor feeding (presentation)	Weak intake in a baby — presentation	Pediatrics Nursing
POP	pelvic organ prolapse	Descent of pelvic organs into or out of the vagina	Obstetrics & Gynecology
POP	progestogen-only pill	Birth control pill containing progestogen only	Prescription & Medication Orders Obstetrics & Gynecology
popliteal art	popliteal artery	Artery behind the knee	General Medical Musculoskeletal
port child	implanted port (childhood)	Under-skin access device — childhood	Pediatrics Hematology & Oncology Nursing
port-wine	port-wine stain (capillary malformation)	Flat purple-red birthmark	Pediatrics Neurology
porta	porta hepatis (anatomy)	Gateway where vessels enter the liver	Gastroenterology Radiology & Imaging
POS	posaconazole (chart shorthand)	Azole antifungal chart shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
positive symptoms	positive symptoms (psychosis group)	Delusions and hallucinations group	Psychiatry
POSSUM	Physiological and Operative Severity Score	Surgical morbidity and mortality score	Surgery
POST	Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment	Indiana version of the portable treatment order	Nursing General Medical
post-concussion	post-concussion symptoms (recovery)	Lingering symptoms after concussion	Pediatrics Neurology Psychiatry
post-tussive	post-tussive emesis (symptom)	Vomiting after coughing fits	Pediatrics Respiratory Gastroenterology
posterior repair	posterior colporrhaphy (rectocele)	Back wall repair for rectal prolapse into the vagina	Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery
posterior slab	posterior slab splint (leg)	Back-of-leg plaster splint	Musculoskeletal Emergency & Critical Care
postherpetic	postherpetic neuralgia (diagnosis)	Pain after shingles — diagnosis	Neurology Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
Postop	postoperative	After an operation	Surgery
posturing	decorticate/decerebrate posturing (finding)	Abnormal flexion or extension after brain injury	Neurology Emergency & Critical Care
POTS	postural orthostatic tachycardia (diagnosis)	Standing racing heart without pressure drop — diagnosis	Neurology Cardiology
pouch of Douglas	rectouterine pouch (Douglas)	Lowest belly pocket behind the uterus	Obstetrics & Gynecology Gastroenterology
power pumping	power pumping (cluster pumping)	Intensive pumping pattern boosting supply	Obstetrics & Gynecology Nursing
PP	per protocol	Analysing only participants who followed the study plan	General Medical
PPA	primary progressive aphasia	Dementia syndrome first and mainly affecting language	Neurology
PPCI	primary percutaneous coronary intervention	Emergency artery-opening procedure for heart attack	Cardiology Emergency & Critical Care
PPD	paranoid personality disorder	Personality pattern of distrust and suspicion of others	Psychiatry
PPD	postpartum depression	Depression occurring after childbirth	Psychiatry Obstetrics & Gynecology
PPD	purified protein derivative	Substance used in the skin test for tuberculosis	Respiratory Infectious Disease
PPE	personal protective equipment	Gloves, masks and gowns protecting against infection	Infectious Disease Nursing General Medical
Ppeak	peak inspiratory pressure (measurement)	Highest pressure during a breath	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
PPH	postpartum hemorrhage	Heavy bleeding after childbirth	Obstetrics & Gynecology Emergency & Critical Care
PPHN	persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (diagnosis)	Failed circulation transition after birth — diagnosis	Pediatrics Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
PPI	proton pump inhibitor	Medicine strongly reducing stomach acid	Prescription & Medication Orders Gastroenterology
Pplat	plateau pressure (measurement)	Pressure during a no-flow pause, reflecting lung stretch	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
PPM	permanent pacemaker	Implanted device that keeps the heart beating at a safe rate	Cardiology
PPMS	primary progressive multiple sclerosis	Multiple sclerosis worsening steadily from the start	Neurology
PPN	partial parenteral nutrition	Some nutrition given through a vein	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing
PPO	preferred provider organization	Health plan with preferred provider network	General Medical
PPP puberty	peripheral precocious puberty	Hormone-driven early puberty outside the brain	Pediatrics Endocrinology
PPPD	pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy	Whipple variant keeping the stomach outlet	Surgery Gastroenterology
PPROM	preterm premature rupture of membranes	Breaking of the amniotic sac before term and before labour	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PPV	pars plana vitrectomy	Vitrectomy through the eye wall	Surgery
PPV neonate	positive pressure ventilation (newborn)	Bag breaths for a newborn	Pediatrics Emergency & Critical Care Respiratory
PR	partial remission	Disease shrunk but not gone after treatment	Hematology & Oncology
PR	per rectum	Through the rectum, describing a medicine route	Prescription & Medication Orders
PR	progesterone receptor (tumor marker)	Hormone receptor tested in breast cancer	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PR bleed	per rectum bleed	Bleeding from the back passage	Gastroenterology
PR3	proteinase 3 antibody	Antibody marker in granulomatosis with polyangiitis	Laboratory Renal & Nephrology Respiratory
PRA	panel reactive antibody	Measure of immune sensitisation before transplant	Renal & Nephrology Laboratory
Prader-Willi	Prader-Willi syndrome (genetic)	Appetite and development genetic syndrome	Pediatrics Endocrinology Neurology
PRBC	packed red blood cells	Concentrated donated red cells for transfusion	Hematology & Oncology Surgery
pre/post ductal	pre- and post-ductal saturations	Hand versus foot oxygen comparison in newborns	Pediatrics Cardiology Nursing
precocious puberty	precocious puberty (evaluation)	Early puberty development — evaluation	Pediatrics Endocrinology
Preop	preoperative	Before an operation	Surgery
PrEP	pre-exposure prophylaxis	Medicine taken before exposure to prevent HIV	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease
PRES	posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome	Brain swelling syndrome causing headache, seizures and vision changes	Neurology
primary stabbing	primary stabbing headache (ice pick)	Brief ice-pick head pains	Neurology
primitive reflexes	primitive reflexes (newborn group)	Automatic newborn reflexes that fade with age	Pediatrics Neurology
PRK	photorefractive keratectomy	Surface laser vision correction	General Medical Surgery
PRL	prolactin	Hormone that promotes milk production	Laboratory Endocrinology Obstetrics & Gynecology
prn	as needed (lowercase form)	Latin pro re nata in lowercase charting	Prescription & Medication Orders Nursing
PRN	pro re nata	As needed, describing when a medicine may be given	Prescription & Medication Orders
PRN order	as-needed order	Order used only when a condition occurs	Nursing Prescription & Medication Orders
pro-ana	pro-ana content (harmful media)	Content promoting anorexia	Psychiatry Pediatrics
proactive therapy	proactive therapy (eczema maintenance)	Intermittent anti-inflammatory maintenance on clear skin	Pediatrics Prescription & Medication Orders
probing tear	nasolacrimal probing (procedure)	Opening a blocked tear duct	Pediatrics Surgery
procedural sedation	procedural sedation and analgesia	Sedation given specifically for a procedure	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care Surgery
prodrome	prodrome (psychosis risk)	Early warning phase before psychosis	Psychiatry
Prog	progesterone	Hormone preparing the uterus for pregnancy	Endocrinology Laboratory Obstetrics & Gynecology
ProGRP	pro-gastrin-releasing peptide	Small cell lung cancer marker	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology Respiratory
proinsulin	proinsulin (insulin precursor)	Insulin precursor sometimes measured in hypoglycemia workups	Laboratory Endocrinology
prolonged decel	prolonged deceleration (fetal)	Heart dip lasting two to ten minutes	Obstetrics & Gynecology Nursing
PROM	passive range of motion	Joint movement performed by another person or device	Musculoskeletal
PROM	premature rupture of membranes	Breaking of the amniotic sac before labour begins at term	Obstetrics & Gynecology
prone vent	prone positioning (ventilation therapy)	Face-down positioning improving oxygen in lung failure	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
proning team	proning team (staffing)	Trained team turning ventilated patients face-down	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care Nursing
prophylaxis	antimicrobial prophylaxis (transplant)	Preventive anti-infection medicines — transplant	Renal & Nephrology Infectious Disease Prescription & Medication Orders
propranolol hemangioma	propranolol (hemangioma treatment)	Beta blocker shrinking baby hemangiomas	Pediatrics Prescription & Medication Orders
prostatectomy	radical prostatectomy (procedure)	Whole prostate removal for cancer	Surgery Renal & Nephrology Hematology & Oncology
prosth	prosthodontics (shorthand)	Crowns and dentures specialty shorthand	General Medical
proverb	proverb interpretation (mental status)	Abstract thinking test in the mental status exam	Psychiatry
PRP	panretinal photocoagulation	Laser treatment for proliferative diabetic eye disease	General Medical Surgery Endocrinology
PRP laser	panretinal photocoagulation	Laser treatment for proliferative diabetic eye disease	Surgery Endocrinology
PRRT	peptide receptor radionuclide therapy	Targeted radiation treatment for neuroendocrine tumors	Hematology & Oncology Radiology & Imaging Endocrinology
PRVC	pressure-regulated volume control	Ventilator mode adjusting pressure to reach a set volume	Respiratory
PS	pulmonary stenosis	Narrowing of the valve leading to the lungs	Cardiology
PSA	prostate-specific antigen	Prostate protein tested in blood	Laboratory Surgery
PsA	psoriatic arthritis	Joint inflammation occurring with psoriasis	Musculoskeletal
PSC	Pediatric Symptom Checklist	Broad child behavior screen	Pediatrics Psychiatry
PSC	primary sclerosing cholangitis	Disease causing scarring of bile ducts	Gastroenterology
pseudo-Jones	pseudo-Jones fracture (avulsion)	Tuberosity avulsion of the fifth metatarsal	Musculoskeletal
pseudobulbar affect	pseudobulbar affect (symptom)	Uncontrolled laughing or crying — symptom	Neurology Psychiatry
pseudodementia	pseudodementia (depression mimic)	Depression imitating dementia	Psychiatry Neurology
pseudoesotropia	pseudoesotropia (false appearance)	Wide nose bridge mimicking crossed eyes	Pediatrics
pseudosubluxation	pseudosubluxation (child c-spine)	Normal forward slip appearance in young necks	Pediatrics Radiology & Imaging Emergency & Critical Care
PSG	polysomnography	Overnight sleep study recording breathing, oxygen and brain activity	Respiratory
PSGN	post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis	Kidney inflammation after strep infection	Pediatrics Renal & Nephrology Infectious Disease
PSH	past surgical history	Previous operations a patient has had	General Medical Surgery
PSI	Pneumonia Severity Index	Score estimating pneumonia illness severity	Respiratory
PSI2	Pneumonia Severity Index (Port score)	Detailed pneumonia mortality prediction score	Respiratory Infectious Disease
PSMA	prostate-specific membrane antigen	Target on prostate cancer cells for imaging and therapy	Hematology & Oncology Radiology & Imaging Laboratory
PSMA PET	prostate-specific membrane antigen PET	PET imaging targeting prostate cancer	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
psoas	psoas major (muscle)	Deep hip flexor muscle	Musculoskeletal Gastroenterology
PSP	progressive supranuclear palsy	Progressive brain disease affecting balance, movement and eye motion	Neurology
PSQI	Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index	Sleep quality questionnaire	Psychiatry Neurology
PSV	pressure support ventilation	Ventilator mode boosting each of the patient's own breaths	Respiratory
PSVT	paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia	Sudden episodes of fast rhythm from above the lower chambers	Cardiology
psychotic features	psychotic features (specifier)	Delusions or hallucinations within a mood episode	Psychiatry
PT	patient	A person receiving medical care	General Medical
PT	physical therapist	Clinician restoring movement and function	Musculoskeletal General Medical
PT	physical therapy	Treatment using exercise and movement to restore function	Musculoskeletal General Medical
PT	prothrombin time	Blood test of how long blood takes to clot	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PT pulse	posterior tibial (pulse)	Ankle-behind-bone pulse point	Nursing Musculoskeletal
PT/INR	prothrombin time / international normalized ratio	Combined clotting test result used to monitor blood thinning	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PTA	percutaneous transluminal angioplasty	Balloon opening of a narrowed vessel	Radiology & Imaging Cardiology
PTA audiol	pure tone average (audiology)	Mean hearing threshold across speech frequencies	Neurology General Medical
PTA leg	posterior tibial artery (leg)	Back lower-leg artery	General Medical Musculoskeletal
PTA2	pure tone audiometry	Standard hearing test by tones	General Medical Laboratory
PTB	preterm birth	Birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy	Obstetrics & Gynecology Pediatrics
PTBD	percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage	Bile duct drain placed through the liver	Radiology & Imaging Gastroenterology
PTC	percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography	Contrast study of bile ducts through the liver	Radiology & Imaging Gastroenterology
PTCA	percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty	Balloon catheter procedure to widen a heart artery	Cardiology
PTD	preterm delivery (outcome)	Birth before 37 weeks — outcome	Obstetrics & Gynecology Pediatrics
PTDM	post-transplant diabetes mellitus (term)	Current term for transplant diabetes	Renal & Nephrology Endocrinology
PTH	parathyroid hormone	Hormone controlling blood calcium levels	Laboratory Endocrinology
PTHrP	parathyroid hormone-related protein	Protein that raises calcium in some cancers	Laboratory Endocrinology Hematology & Oncology
PTL	preterm labor	Labour beginning before 37 weeks of pregnancy	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PTLD	post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (diagnosis)	Lymphoma-like overgrowth after transplant — diagnosis	Renal & Nephrology Hematology & Oncology Infectious Disease Surgery
PTNS	percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation	Ankle nerve stimulation for bladder symptoms	Renal & Nephrology Nursing
ptosis repair	ptosis repair (eyelid)	Operation lifting a droopy eyelid	Surgery
PTP	post-transfusion purpura	Severe platelet drop a week after transfusion	Hematology & Oncology
PTP2	platelet refractoriness	Failure of platelet counts to rise after transfusion	Hematology & Oncology
PTRA	percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty	Balloon opening of a narrowed kidney artery	Radiology & Imaging Renal & Nephrology
PTSD	post-traumatic stress disorder	Mental health condition after trauma, with re-experiencing and avoidance	Psychiatry
PTT	partial thromboplastin time	Blood test of clotting through one pathway	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PTTD	posterior tibial tendon dysfunction	Tendon problem causing pain and flattening of the foot arch	Musculoskeletal
PTV	planning target volume	Final radiation treatment outline including movement margin	Radiology & Imaging Hematology & Oncology
PTX	pneumothorax	Collapsed lung from air leaking into the chest space	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care
PTX2	paclitaxel (chart shorthand)	Taxane chemotherapy shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Hematology & Oncology
PU	pressure ulcer	Sore from prolonged pressure on skin	Nursing
pubarche	pubarche (pubic hair development)	Appearance of pubic hair milestone	Pediatrics Endocrinology
PUCAI	Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index	Child colitis severity score	Pediatrics Gastroenterology
PUD	peptic ulcer disease	Sores in the stomach or upper intestine lining	Gastroenterology
pudding-thick	pudding-thick liquids	Spoon-thick fluid consistency	Nursing Neurology
puddle jumper	puddle jumper (flotation device caution)	Arm-band flotation device guidance	Pediatrics Nursing
pudendal n	pudendal nerve (anatomy)	Main nerve of the perineum	Neurology Obstetrics & Gynecology
PUL	pregnancy of unknown location	Pregnancy where the location cannot yet be seen on ultrasound	Obstetrics & Gynecology
pull-through	pull-through procedure (Hirschsprung)	Surgery bringing working bowel to the anus	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Surgery
pulled elbow	pulled elbow (term)	Alternate name for nursemaid elbow	Pediatrics Musculoskeletal
pulse augmentation	pulse augmentation test (access)	Fistula inflow check by occlusion	Renal & Nephrology
Pulse ox	pulse oximeter	Clip device measuring blood oxygen saturation	Vitals & Assessment Respiratory
punch biopsy	punch biopsy (procedure)	Small round blade skin sample	Surgery General Medical
pureed diet	pureed diet (texture level)	Blended smooth texture for swallowing problems	Nursing
purple crying	PURPLE crying (education program)	Acronym describing normal infant crying peaks	Pediatrics Nursing
putamen	putamen (anatomy)	Part of the basal ganglia	Neurology
PUV	posterior urethral valves	Abnormal tissue in a boy's urethra blocking urine flow	Pediatrics Renal & Nephrology
PUVA	psoralen and ultraviolet A	Light treatment for skin conditions using a sensitiser	General Medical
PV	per vagina	Through the vagina, describing a medicine route	Prescription & Medication Orders Obstetrics & Gynecology
PV	per vaginam	By or through the vagina, used for examinations or bleeding descriptions	Obstetrics & Gynecology
PVAP	possible ventilator-associated pneumonia	Surveillance category combining ventilator deterioration and lab evidence	Respiratory Emergency & Critical Care Infectious Disease
PVC	peripheral venous catheter	Small tube in a surface vein for fluids or medicines	Nursing Emergency & Critical Care
PVC	premature ventricular contraction	Extra early heartbeat from the lower chambers	Cardiology
PVD	peripheral vascular disease	Disease of blood vessels outside the heart and brain	Cardiology
PVD	posterior vitreous detachment	Gel inside the eye separating from the retina	General Medical
PVD2	posterior vitreous detachment	Age-related separation of the gel from the retina	General Medical
PVI	pulmonary vein isolation	Ablation procedure treating atrial fibrillation	Surgery Cardiology
PVL	Panton-Valentine leukocidin	Toxin made by some staph bacteria	Infectious Disease Laboratory
PVL	periventricular leukomalacia	Injury to white matter around the brain's fluid spaces in premature babies	Pediatrics Neurology
PVP	photoselective vaporization of the prostate	Laser prostate tissue vaporization	Surgery Renal & Nephrology
PVR	post-void residual	Urine remaining in the bladder after passing urine	Renal & Nephrology
PVR	pulmonary vascular resistance	Resistance the heart pumps against in the lung arteries	Cardiology Respiratory
PVR measure	post-void residual measurement	Checking urine left after voiding	Nursing Renal & Nephrology
PVT	portal vein thrombosis	Blood clot in the main vein to the liver	Gastroenterology Hematology & Oncology
PW	pulsed-wave Doppler	Doppler measuring flow at a specific depth	Radiology & Imaging Cardiology
PWB	partial weight bearing	Putting only part of body weight through a limb	Musculoskeletal
PWB	partial weight-bearing	Putting part of body weight through a limb	Musculoskeletal Nursing
PWI	perfusion-weighted imaging	MRI measuring tissue blood flow	Radiology & Imaging Neurology
PWS	Prader-Willi syndrome	Genetic condition affecting appetite, growth and development	Pediatrics Endocrinology
PXF	pseudoexfoliation	Flaky material causing a secondary glaucoma and cataract risk	General Medical
pyloric stenosis	hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (diagnosis)	Thickened stomach outlet in infants — diagnosis	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Surgery Emergency & Critical Care
pyloromyotomy	pyloromyotomy (procedure)	Cutting the thickened outlet muscle	Pediatrics Gastroenterology Surgery
pyridostigmine	pyridostigmine (symptomatic)	Symptom-relief drug for myasthenia — sense as charted	Neurology Prescription & Medication Orders
pyruvate kinase	pyruvate kinase (red cell enzyme)	Enzyme deficiency causing chronic hemolysis	Laboratory Hematology & Oncology
PZA	pyrazinamide (chart shorthand)	Core tuberculosis drug shorthand	Prescription & Medication Orders Infectious Disease

Educational reference only. This guide is for learning and quick reference. Abbreviations vary between hospitals, countries and specialties, and some are discouraged because they can be misread. Always write and interpret orders using your own institution’s approved abbreviation list, and check anything unclear with the prescriber or your local policy.

Medical Abbreviations Starting With "P"

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