| Meaning | ||
| p̄ | after (from Latin post) [1] [letter p with a bar over it] | |
| pH | Potential of Hydrogen - Acidity of a fluid | |
| P | parturition (total number of live births) phosphorus pulse post | |
| POSM | plasma osmolality | |
| PA | posterior–anterior, posteroanterior pulmonary artery url=https://www.aapa.org/title-change/#tci-implementation|title = Title Change}} psoriatic arthritis primary aldosteronism | |
| P&A | percussion and auscultation phenol and alcohol matrixectomy | |
| PAC | premature atrial contraction pulmonary artery catheter, pulmonary artery catheterisation | |
| PACU | Post-anesthesia care unit | |
| PAD | peripheral artery disease (aka peripheral artery occlusive disease) postadmission day (e.g. PAD 6 equals the sixth day of being in hospital) peripheral airspace disease Passively Acquired anti-D | |
| PAE | prostatic artery embolization | |
| 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 (training program) | |
| PAN | polyarteritis nodosa | |
| PAO | peak acid output | |
| PAOD | peripheral artery occlusive disease | |
| PAP | Papanicolaou stain positive airway pressure pulmonary artery pressure (see pulmonary hypertension) pulmonary alveolar proteinosis | |
| Pap | Papanicolaou test (pap smear) | |
| PAPP-A | pregnancy-associated plasma protein A | |
| PAPVR | partial anomalous pulmonary venous return | |
| PARA I | indicating a woman with one child (partus = birth) | |
| PARA II | indicating a woman with two children (partus = birth) | |
| PASP | Pulmonary artery systolic pressure | |
| PASH | Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia | |
| PAT | paroxysmal atrial tachycardia | |
| PBC | primary biliary cirrhosis, paired blood culture | |
| PBX | probiotics | |
| 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 | |
| Pcele | Pseudomeningocele | |
| PCI | percutaneous coronary intervention | |
| PCIOL | posterior chamber intraocular lens | |
| PCKD | Polycystic Kidney Disease | |
| PCL | posterior cruciate ligament | |
| PCN | penicillin | |
| PCNL | Percutaneous nephrolithotomy | |
| PCNSL | primary CNS (central nervous system) lymphoma | |
| PCO | polycystic ovary (see polycystic ovary syndrome) | |
| PCOS | polycystic ovarian syndrome | |
| PCP | Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now called Pneumocystis pneumonia) primary care physician (also called primary care provider) | |
| PCR | patient care report polymerase chain reaction | |
| PCS | post-concussion syndrome | |
| PCT | progesterone challenge test Patient care technician | |
| PCV | packed cell volume (see hematocrit) polycythemia vera | |
| PCWP | pulmonary capillary wedge pressure | |
| PD | Parkinson's disease paroxysmal dyskinesia peritoneal dialysis physical diagnosis personality disorder program director | |
| PDA | patent ductus arteriosus posterior descending artery | |
| PDD | premenstrual dysphoric disorder | |
| PDE | phosphodiesterase | |
| PDGF | platelet-derived growth factor | |
| PDR | Physicians' Desk ReferenceProliferative Diabetic Retinopathy | |
| PDT | photodynamic therapy | |
| PDVT | postoperative deep-vein thrombosis | |
| PE | pulmonary embolism pre-eclampsia pleural effusion physical examination | |
| PEA | pulseless electrical activity | |
| PERRLA | pupils equal, round and reactive to light, accommodation[2] | |
| PEB | cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (chemotherapy regimen) | |
| PEEP | positive end-expiratory pressure | |
| PEF | peak expiratory flow | |
| PEFR | peak expiratory flow rate | |
| PEG | percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy | |
| PEM | protein/energy malnutrition (aka Kwashiorkor) | |
| pen | penicillin (Best practice is to avoid drug name abbreviations) | |
| PEP | Post-exposure prophylaxis[3] | |
| PERM | Progressive Encephalomyelitis with Rigidity and Myoclonus | |
| PERRL | pupils equal, round, reactive to light | |
| PERLA | pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation | |
| PERRLA | pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation | |
| Per Vag | per vagina | |
| PET | positron emission tomography (cerebral metabolic scan) | |
| PFO | patent foramen ovale | |
| PFT | pulmonary function test (see spirometry) | |
| PGCS | Paediatric Glasgow Coma Scale | |
| PH | Pulmonary hypertension Past history (see also medical history) | |
| PHx | past history (see also medical history) | |
| PHG | Portal hypertensive gastropathy | |
| PHI | protected health information | |
| PHN | ||
| PHP | ||
| PHQ | ||
| PHTLS | prehospital trauma life support | |
| PI | present illness | |
| PII | personally identifiable information | |
| PICC | peripherally inserted central catheter | |
| PID | pelvic inflammatory disease prolapsed intervertebral disc | |
| PIG-A | phosphatidyl inositol glycan A | |
| PIH | pregnancy induced hypertension | |
| PIP | proximal interphalangeal joint | |
| PJS | Peutz-Jeghers syndrome | |
| PK | protein kinase | |
| PKA | protein kinase A | |
| PKD | polycystic kidney disease | |
| PKP | penetrating keratoplasty | |
| PKU | phenylketonuria (PKU card—see Guthrie test) | |
| PLAT | tissue plasminogen activator | |
| PLIF | posterior lumbar interbody fusion (a type of spinal fusion) | |
| PLT | platelets | |
| PM | post meridiem (in the afternoon) | |
| PMB | post-menopausal bleeding (bleeding after menopause) | |
| PMD | primary medical doctor | |
| PMDD | premenstrual dysphoric disorder | |
| PMH | past medical history (see also medical history) perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage progressive macular hypomelanosis | |
| PMI | point of maximal impulse or apical beat point of maximal intensity | |
| PML | polyoma virus progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy | |
| PMP | Pseudomyxoma peritonei | |
| PMN | polymorphonuclear leukocytes, that is, neutrophils | |
| PMR | percutaneous myocardial revascularization polymyalgia rheumatica proportionate mortality rate | |
| PM&R | physical medicine and rehabilitation | |
| PMS | premenstrual syndrome | |
| PNA | pneumonia | |
| PNA | postnatal age | |
| PND | paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea postnasal drip | |
| PNET | primitive neuroectodermal tumor | |
| PNH | paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria | |
| PNM | perinatal mortality | |
| PNS | Peripheral Nervous System | |
| PNV | Prenatal vitamin | |
| PO | by mouth, that is, orally (from Latin per os) | |
| POA | (Health Care) Power of Attorney | |
| POC | postoperative care products of conception Plan of Care | |
| POCT | Point-Of-Care testing[4] | |
| POD | postoperative days | |
| POEMS | POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, myeloma protein and skin changes) | |
| POLST | Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment | |
| poly | polymorphonuclear cells, that is, neutrophils | |
| PONV | postoperative nausea and vomiting | |
| POP | pain on palpation | |
| pelvic organ prolapse | ||
| plaster of Paris | ||
| progestin only pills | ||
| Post | posterior (see anatomical terms of location) | |
| POT | plan of treatment | |
| POTS | postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome | |
| POX | peroxidase | |
| PP | pulse pressure postpartum, that is, postnatal postprandial | |
| PPCS | prolonged post-concussion syndrome | |
| PPD | packs per day (cigarettes) postpartum depression, that is, postnatal depression purified protein derivative or Mantoux test, for tuberculosis testing | |
| PPE | personal protective equipment | |
| PPF | posterior pharyngeal flap | |
| PPH | postpartum haemorrhage primary pulmonary hypertension procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids | |
| PPHN | persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn | |
| PPI | proton pump inhibitor | |
| PPMS | Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis | |
| PPROM | preterm prelabor rupture of membranes | |
| PPS | post-polio syndrome | |
| Ppt | precipitate precipitating | |
| PPTCT | prevention of parent-to-child transmission (of HIV) (government of India initiative) | |
| PPTL | postpartum tubal ligation | |
| PPTP | Pediatric preclinical testing program | |
| PPV | positive predictive valuepositive pressure ventilation | |
| PPx | prophylaxis | |
| PR | prothrombin ratio | |
| p.r. | per rectum (as noun: rectal examination) | |
| PRA | plasma renin activity | |
| PRBC PRBCs | packed red blood cells | |
| PREA | Pediatric Research Equity Act | |
| Preme | premature infant (see premature birth) | |
| Prep PrEP | preparationpre-exposure prophylaxis[5] | |
| PRES | Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome | |
| PRIND | prolonged reversible ischemic neurologic deficit | |
| PRL | prolactin | |
| prn PRN | as necessary (from Latin pro re nata) (if used in chronic pain control, sometimes disparagingly termed "pain relief nil") as needed | |
| Prog | prognosis | |
| PROM | prelabor rupture of membranes partial range of motion | |
| PRP | panretinal photocoagulation platelet-rich plasma progressive rubella panencephalitis | |
| PRRE | purine-rich response element | |
| PRV | polycythemia rubra vera (see polycythemia vera) | |
| PSA | prostate-specific antigen | |
| PBSO | partial small bowel obstruction | |
| PSC | primary sclerosing cholangitis | |
| PSCH | preoperative systemic chemotherapy | |
| PSGN | poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis | |
| PSH | Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity Past surgical history psychosocial history Past medical history (see also medical history) | |
| PSI | Pneumonia severity index | |
| PSP | Phenolsulfonphthalein | |
| PSS | progressive systemic sclerosis (see scleroderma) | |
| paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia | ||
| 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 admissionPeritonsillar abscess | |
| PTB | pulmonary tuberculosis | |
| PTC | percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography | |
| PTCA | percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty | |
| PTD | prior to discharge preterm delivery | |
| PTH | parathyroid hormone | |
| PTHC | percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography | |
| PTL | preterm labor | |
| PTSD | posttraumatic stress disorder | |
| PTSS | posttraumatic stress syndrome (see posttraumatic stress disorder) | |
| PTT | partial thromboplastin time | |
| PTU | propylthiouracil | |
| PTx | pneumothorax | |
| PU | palindromic unit | |
| PUBS | percutaneous umbilical blood sample | |
| PUD | peptic ulcer disease | |
| PUO | pyrexia of unknown origin | |
| psoralen UV A (photochemical ultraviolet light A waves) | ||
| p.v. | per vagina (as noun: vaginal examination with manual examination and speculum inspection) | |
| PV | polycythemia vera | |
| PVC (VPC) | premature ventricular contraction | |
| PVD | peripheral vascular disease | |
| PVFS | post-viral fatigue syndrome | |
| PVI | Peripheral vascular insufficiency Pulmonary vein isolation | |
| PVOD | Pulmonary venoocclusive disease | |
| PVR | pulmonary vascular resistance Postvoid residual urine volume | |
| PVS | perivascular space persistent vegetative state pulmonary valve stenosis Plummer–Vinson syndrome | |
| PVT | Paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia | |
| PWD | Pink, warm, and dry (skin assessment) | |
| PWP | pulmonary wedge pressure | |
| Px px | physical examination prognosis patient | |
| P-Y | Pack-year (years of smoking multiplied by average number of packs, or fraction thereof, per day) | |
| PZA | pyrazinamide |
