medical abbreviations: P

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medical abbreviations: P

Abbrev.	Meaning
p	(p with a bar over it) after, from Latin, post
P	Parturition (total number of live births) Phosphorus Pulse Post
PA	Posterior-anterior, posteroanterior Pulmonary artery Physician Assistant
P&A	Percussion and auscultation
PAC	Premature atrial contraction Pulmonary artery catheter, Pulmonary artery catheterisation
PAD	Peripheral artery disease - Peripheral artery occlusive disease
PAF	Platelet activating factor Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (meaning intermittent AF)
PAH	Pulmonary arterial hypertension Phenylalanine hydroxylase
PAI-1	Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1
PAL	Posterior axillary line
PALS	Pediatric Advanced Life Support
PAN	Polyarteritis nodosa
PAO	Peak Acid Output
PAOD	Peripheral artery occlusive disease
PAP	Papanicolaou stain Positive airway pressure Pulmonary artery pressure - Pulmonary hypertension
Pap	Papanicolaou Test (pap smear)
PARA I	Indicating a woman with one child (partus = birth)
PARA II	Indicating a woman with two children (partus = birth)
PAT	Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia
PBF	Peripheral blood film
p.c.	After food, from Latin, post cibum After meals
PCA	Patient-controlled analgesia
PCa	Prostate cancer
PCD	Postconcussional disorder Primary ciliary dyskinesia
PCI	Percutaneous coronary intervention
PCL	Posterior cruciate ligament
PCN	Penicillin
PCNSL	Primary CNS (central nervous system) lymphoma
PCO	Polycystic ovary - polycystic ovarian syndrome
PCOS	Polycystic ovarian syndrome
PCP	(Formerly Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) - Pneumocystis pneumonia Primary Care Physician/Primary Care Provider
PCR	Patient Care Report Polymerase chain reaction
PCS	Post-concussion syndrome
PCV	Packed cell volume - Hematocrit Polycythemia vera
PCWP	Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
PD	Parkinson's disease Peritoneal dialysis Physical diagnosis
PDA	Patent ductus arteriosus
PDE	Phosphodiesterase
PDGF	Platelet derived growth factor
PDR	Physicians' Desk Reference
PDT	Photodynamic Therapy
PE	Pulmonary embolism [Pre-eclampsia]] Physical examination
PEA	Pulseless electrical activity
PEEP	Positive end expiratory pressure
PEF	Peak expiratory flow
PEFR	Peak expiratory flow rate
PEG	Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
pen	Penicillin (Best practice is to avoid drug name abbreviations)
PEP	Post exposure prophylaxis
PERRL	Pupils equal, round, reactive to light (e.g. "pupils PERRL")
PERLA	Pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation
PERRLA	Pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation
Per Vag	Per vaginam
PET	Positron-emission tomography (cerebral metabolic scan)
PFO	Patent foramen ovale
PFT	Pulmonary function test - Spirometry
PGCS	Paediatric Glasgow Coma Scale
PH	Pulmonary hypertension Past history - medical history
PHx	Past history - medical history
PHTLS	Prehospital trauma life support
PI	Present illness
PICC	Peripherally inserted central catheter
PID	Pelvic inflammatory disease Prolapsed intervertibral disc
PIH	Pregnancy induced hypertension
PIP	Proximal interphalangeal joint
PKA	Protein kinase A
PKD	Polycystic kidney disease
PKU	Phenylketonuria (PKU card - Guthrie test)
PLAT	Tissue plasminogen activator
PLT	Platelets
PM	Post meridiem In the afternoon
PMB	Post-menopausal bleeding (bleeding after menopause)
PMH	Past medical history Perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage
PMI	Point of maximal impulse or apical beat Point of maximal intensity
PML	Polyoma virus
PMP	Pseudomyxoma peritonei
PMN	Polymorphonuclear leukocytes, i.e., Neutrophils
PMR	Percutaneous myocardial revascularisation Polymyalgia rheumatica
PM&R	Physical medicine and rehabilitation
PND	Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea Postnasal drip
PNH	Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
PNM	Perinatal mortality
PO	By mouth (orally), from Latin, per os
POD	postoperative days
poly	Polymorphonuclear cells, ie Neutrophils
Post	Posterior - anatomical terms of location
POX	Peroxidase
PP	Pulse pressure Postpartum - postnatal
PPCS	Prolonged post-concussion syndrome
PPD	Packs per day (Cigarettes) Postpartum depression - Postnatal depression Purified protein derivative or Mantoux test, for tuberculosis testing
PPH	Postpartum haemorrhage Primary pulmonary hypertension Procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids
PPI	Proton pump inhibitor
PPROM	Preterm premature rupture of membranes
PPS	Post-polio syndrome
Ppt	Precipitate Precipitating
PPTCT	Prevention of parent-to-child transmission (of HIV: Govt of India)
PPTL	Post-partum tubal ligation
PR	Prothrombin ratio
p.r.	Per rectum (as noun: rectal examination)
PRA	Plasma renin activity
PRBC	Packed red blood cells
Preme	Premature infant - premature birth
Prep	Preparation
PRIND	Prolonged reversible ischemic neurologic deficit
prn PRN	As necessary, from Latin, pro re nata (if used in chronic pain control disparagingly termed "pain relief nil") As needed
Prog	Prognosis
PROM	Premature rupture of membranes
PRP	Panretinal photocoagulation Progressive rubella panencephalitis
PRV	Polycythemia rubra vera - polycythemia vera
PSA	Prostatic specific antigen
PSH	Psychosocial history Past medical history
PSP	Phenylsulphtalein
PSS	Progressive systemic sclerosis - scleroderma
PT	Prothrombin time Physical therapy (physiotherapy)
Pt.	Patient, from Latin patiens, meaning "one who endures" or "one who suffers"
PTA	Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty Post-traumatic amnesia Prior to admission
PTB	Pulmonary tuberculosis
PTC	Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography
PTCA	Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
PTD	Prior to discharge
PTH	Parathyroid hormone
PTHC	Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography
PTSD	Posttraumatic stress disorder
PTSS	Posttraumatic stress syndrome - posttraumatic stress disorder
PTT	Partial thromboplastin time
PTx	Pneumothorax
PUD	Peptic ulcer disease
PUO	Pyrexia of unknown origin
PUVA	Psoralen UV A (photochemical ultraviolet light A waves)
p.v.	Per vagina (as noun: vaginal examination with manual examination and speculum inspection)
PVC (VPC)	Premature ventricular contraction
PVD	Peripheral vascular disease
PVFS	Post-viral fatigue syndrome
PVR	Pulmonary vascular resistance
PVS	Persistent vegetative state Pulmonary valve stenosis Plummer-Vinson syndrome
PWP	Pulmonary Wedge Pressure
Px px	Physical examination
Px	Prognosis
P-Y	Pack-years (years of smoking one package of cigarettes per day)