Browse Medical Abbreviations
D
| d | date; density; day; right |
| D | diopter; distal; dose; deceased |
| D Bili | direct bilirubin |
| D&A | drug and alcohol |
| D&C | dilation and curettage |
| D&D | dehydration and diarrhea |
| D&E | dilation and evacuation |
| D&O | diagnostic and observation |
| D&V | diarrhea and vomiting |
| D-Bili | direct bilirubin |
| D-Pen | d-penicillamine |
| D/A | date of admission |
| D/B | date of birth |
| D/C | discontinue; discharge |
| D/NS | dextrose in normal saline |
| d/t | due/to |
| d/w | discussed with |
| d4t | stavudine |
| D5NS | 5% dextrose in normal saline |
| D5W | 5% dextrose in water |
| DA | developmental age; dopamine |
| DAH | disordered action of the heart |
| DAI | diffuse axonal injury |
| DAPE | data, assessment, plan, evaluation |
| DARE | Drug & Alcohol Resistance Education; data, action, response, education |
| DASE | Denver Articulation Screening Examination |
| DASH | dietary approaches to stop hypertension (meal plan) |
| DAT | diet as tolerated |
| dau | daughter |
| DAW | dispense as written |
| DB | double-blind |
| dB | decibel (measurement of sound volume) |
| DB&C | deep breathing and coughing |
| dBP | diastolic blood pressure |
| DBS | deep brain stimulation; dorsal blocking splint |
| DBT | dialectal behavioral therapy |
| DC | discontinue; discharge; direct current; Doctor of Chiropractic |
| DCAP-BTLS | deformity, contusions, abrasions, punctures/penetrations, burns, tenderness, lacerations, swelling |
| DCC | direct current cardioversion |
| DCIS | ductal carcinoma in situ |
| dcSSc | diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis |
| DCT | distal convoluted tubule |
| DD | dry dressing; differential diagnosis; developmental disability; delivery date |
| DDAVP | desmopressin acetate |
| ddC | zalcitabine |
| DDH | developmental dysplasia of the hip |
| ddI | didanosine |
| dDNA | denatured DNA |
| DDS | Doctor of Dental Surgery |
| DDST | Denver Developmental Screening Test |
| DDx | differential diagnosis |
| DEA | Drug Enforcement Administration |
| dec | deceased |
| dec'd | deceased |
| DECA | Devereux Early Childhood Assessment |
| decr | decrease(d) |
| decub | decubitus (lying down) |
| def | deficiency |
| defib | defibrillation |
| deg | degree |
| del | delivery, delivered |
| dep | dependent |
| dept | department |
| deriv | derive, derivative |
| Derm | dermatology |
| DES | diethylstilbestrol |
| desc | descent, descending |
| det. | let it be given (detur) |
| dev | develop(ment) |
| DEXA | dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry |
| DF | dorsiflexion |
| DFA | direct fluorescent antibody |
| DFR | dialysate flow rate |
| DFS | doppler flow studies |
| DFSP | dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans |
| DFV | doppler flow velocimetry |
| DG | dorsal gluteal |
| dg | decigram (one tenth of a gram) |
| dgm | decigram (one tenth of a gram) |
| DH | dermatitis herpetiformis; Dental Hygienist; drug history |
| DHEA | dehydroepiandrosterone |
| DHEAS | dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate |
| DHS | dynamic hip screw |
| DHT | dihydrotestosterone |
| DHx | drug history |
| DI | diabetes insipidus |
| diab | diabetes |
| diag | diagnosis |
| diagm | diagram |
| diam | diameter |
| DIB | difficulty in breathing |
| DIC | disseminated intravascular coagulation |
| DID | dissociative identity disorder |
| dieb. alt. | every other day |
| DIF | direct immunofluorescence |
| dif | differential blood count |
| DIFA | automated differential |
| Diff | differential |
| Dig | digitalis |
| dig | digoxin |
| dil | dilation; dilatation |
| dil. | dilute(d) |
| dim | dimension |
| dim. | halved |
| DIP | distal interphalangeal (joint) |
| diph | diphtheria |
| DIPJ | distal interphalangeal joint |
| dir | direct; director; direction |
| DIRA | deficiency of the interleukin-1-receptor |
| dis | disabled; discontinue; disease; discussed |
| disc | discontinue |
| disch | discharge |
| DISCUS | dyskinesia identification system condensed user scale |
| DISH | diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis |
| DISIDA | diisopropyl iminodiacetic acid (cholescintigraphy) |
| disloc | dislocate, dislocation |
| disp | dispense |
| dissd | dissolved |
| dissem | disseminated |
| dist | distribute; distal |
| div | divide, division |
| DJD | degenerative joint disease |
| DKA | diabetic ketoacidosis |
| dkm | decameter |
| dL | deciliter (100 ml) |
| DL | direct laryngoscopy |
| DL-PICC | double lumen peripherally inserted central catheter |
| DLE | discoid lupus erythematosus |
| DLH | double lumen hickman |
| DLS | dynamic lumbar stabilization |
| DLSO | distal lateral subungual onychomycosis |
| DLV | delavirdine (antiviral drug) |
| DLVC | double lumen vascular catheter |
| DM | diabetes mellitus; dextromethorphan; dermatomyositis |
| dm | decimeter (100 mm, 0.1 m) |
| DMAC | disseminated mycobacterium avium complex |
| DMARD | disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug |
| DMAT | disaster medical assistance team |
| DMD | Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry; Duchenne's muscular dystrophy |
| DME | durable medical equipment |
| DMI | diaphragmatic myocardial infarction |
| DMPA | depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate |
| DMSA | 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid |
| DMSO | dimethylsulfoxide |
| DN | dibucaine number |
| DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid; does not apply |
| DNAR | do not attempt resuscitation |
| DNH | do not hospitalize |
| DNI | do not intubate |
| DNKA | did not keep appointment |
| DNP | do not publish |
| DNR | do not resuscitate |
| DNS | deviated nasal septum |
| DNT | did not test |
| DO | Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine; director of operations; doctor's orders |
| DOA | date of admission; duration of action; dead on arrival |
| DOB | date of birth |
| DOC | deoxycorticosterone; drug of choice |
| DOD | date of death |
| DOE | date of exam; dyspnea on exertion; design of experiment |
| DOH | department of health |
| DOI | digital object identifier; date of injury |
| DOL | department of labor |
| dom | dominant |
| DOMS | delayed onset muscle soreness |
| DON | director of nursing |
| DOPT | directly observed preventative therapy |
| dos | dose, dosage |
| DOS | date of service |
| DOT | directly observed therapy |
| DP | dorsalis pedis; Doctor of Podiatry; distal pulses; dorsalis pedis artery |
| DPA | dual-photon absorptiometry; Data Protection Act |
| DPAP | diastolic pulmonary artery pressure |
| DPat | diphtheria-acellular pertussis tetanus (vaccine) |
| DPGN | diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis |
| DPH | Department of Public Health; Doctor of Public Health |
| DPI | dry powder inhaler |
| DPL | diagnostic peritoneal lavage |
| DPM | Doctor of Podiatric Medicine |
| DPT | diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (vaccine) |
| DQ | developmental quotient |
| DR | diagnostic radiography; delivery room; delayed release (medication) |
| dr. | dram |
| Dr. | doctor |
| DRE | digital rectal examination |
| DRESS | drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms |
| DRF | drip rate factor |
| DRG | diagnosis-related group |
| DRI | daily/dietary reference intake; Dietary Reference Intake |
| DS | Down's Syndrome; degenerative spondylolisthesis; drug substance |
| DSA | digital subtraction angiography |
| DSC | Doctor of Surgical Chiropody |
| dsDNA | double-stranded DNA |
| DSM | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual |
| DSM-IV | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition |
| DSM-V | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition |
| DSPS | delayed sleep phase syndrome; diagnostic, screening and preventive services |
| DST | decision support tool; dexamethasone suppression test |
| DSW | Doctor of Social Work |
| DT | delirium tremens; diphtheria and tetanus toxoids |
| DTAD | drain tube attachment device |
| DTaP | diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis |
| DTH | delayed-type hypersensitivity |
| DTIC | dacarbazine |
| DTP | diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (vaccine); direct-to-patient |
| DTR | deep tendon reflex(es); Dietetic Technician, Registered |
| DTs | delirium tremens/tremors |
| DU | diagnosis undetermined; duodenal ulcer |
| DUB | dysfunctional uterine bleeding |
| DUE | drug usage evaluation |
| DUI | driving under the influence |
| dup | duplication, duplicate |
| DUR | drug utilization review |
| DV | double vision; domestic violence; daily value (nutrition) |
| DV/SA | domestic violence/sexual assault |
| DVD | developmental verbal dyspraxia; digital video disc |
| DVI | deep venous insufficiency |
| DVM | Doctor of Veterinary Medicine |
| DVR | division of vocational rehabilitation |
| DVT | deep vein thrombosis |
| DW | distilled water |
| DWI | driving while intoxicated |
| Dx | diagnosis |
| DXA | dual x-ray absorptiometry |
| DXM | dextromethorphan |
| DXT | radiotherapy |
| Dy | Dysprosium (element) |
| Dz | disease |
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Abbreviations vary by context and institution. Many abbreviations have alternate or newer meanings not reflected in this set. The abbreviations on this page should not be considered complete.