+ Sortable table Abbreviation Meaning Bx biopsy Ba barium BAC blood alcohol content BAD bipolar affective disorder BADLs basic ADLs basic activities of daily living BAL bronchoalveolar lavage British anti-Lewisite blood alcohol level BAO basic acid output BAT brown adipose tissue BAV bicuspid aortic valve BBA bilateral breast augmentation BBB blood–brain barrier BBB L left bundle branch block BBB R right bundle branch block BBPS Boston Bowel Preparation Scale BBT basal body temperature BC bone conduction blood culture Board certified BCC basal cell carcinoma blind carbon copy BCG bacille Calmette–Guérin (a tuberculosis vaccination) BCP birth control pill BCP blood chemistry profile BCX BCx blood culture BDR Background Diabetic Retinopathy BBMF "bone break, me fix" (orthopedic consent form) BD bipolar disorder twice a day (from Latin bis in die) BDD body dysmorphic disorder BDI Beck Depression Inventory BDS two times a day (from Latin bis die sumendus) BE barium enema base excess BEAM A type of high-dose chemotherapy used to treat lymphoma prior to a stem cell transplant BEP bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (chemotherapy regimen) BF breastfeeding BFP bundle forming pilus BG blood glucose BGAT blood glucose awareness training (to help patients with diabetic hypoglycemia) BGL blood glucose level BIB brought in by BIBA brought in by ambulance BID bid b.i.d. twice a day (from Latin bis in die) Bilat eq bilaterally equal BiPAP bilevel positive airway pressure BIS bispectral index BiVAD bilateral ventricular assist device (left and right) BK bradykinin BKA below-the-knee amputation b/l bilateral BL Burkitt's lymphoma bl.cult blood culture bld blood BLE Bilateral Lower Extremity (in/on both legs). BLS basic life support BM bone marrow bowel movement breast milk Capillary blood glucose (British medical colloquialism originating from Boehringer Mannheim, a manufacturer of early glucose meters, today a part of Boehringer Ingelheim.) BMBx Bone marrow biopsy BMC bone mineral content BMD bone mineral density (also termed bone mass measurement) BMI body mass index BMP basic metabolic panel BMR basal metabolic rate BMS bare-metal stent BMT bone marrow transplantation BNO bowel not open BNP brain natriuretic peptide BO bowel open B/O because of BOA born out of asepsis BOI born on island (i.e. a local patient) BOLT Bilateral Orthotopic Lung Transplant BOM bilateral otitis media BOOP bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia BP blood pressure British Pharmacopoeia BPAD bipolar affective disorder BPCA best pharmaceuticals for children act BPD biparietal diameter borderline personality disorder bronchopulmonary dysplasia BPES blepharophimosis, ptosis, epicanthus inversus syndrome BPH benign prostatic hyperplasia/benign prostatic hypertrophy BPM beats per minute BPP biophysical profile BPPV benign paroxysmal positional vertigo BPSD behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia BR bedrest bathroom BRA bilateral renal agenesis BRAT The BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast (helps digestion in some GI disorders) BRATY another version of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, yogurt (helps digestion in some GI disorders) BRB bright red blood (color is important as an indicator of source, for example in gastrointestinal bleeding) BRBPR bright red blood per rectum BRCA1 (gene) BRCA1 (protein) breast cancer 1 (a human gene and its protein) BRCA2 (gene) BRCA2 (protein) breast cancer 2 (a human gene and its protein) BRP bathroom privileges BRTO Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration BRUE brief resolved unexplained event BRVO Branch retinal vein occlusion BS barium swallow breath breath sound bowel sounds (on auscultation using a stethoscope) blood sugar body secretions BS x 4 quads bowel signs in all 4 quadrants (also sometimes "BS + all 4 quads") BSx B-symptoms BSA body surface area bovine serum albumin BSC bedside commode BSE bovine spongiform encephalopathy breast self-examination BSL blood sugar level BSO bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy BSP bromsulphthalein BSU Bartholin, Skene and urethra (glands) BT bleeding time brachytherapy BTB breakthrough bleeding of menstrual period BTL bilateral tubal ligation BTP breakthrough pain BTT bridge to transplantation BUN blood urea nitrogen BV bacterial vaginosis BVM bag valve mask (Ambu bag) BVP biventricular pacing (see artificial pacemaker) bleomycin, vincristine, and cisplatin (chemotherapy regimen) BW blood work (blood tests) birth weight BWS Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome Bx biopsy BZDs benzodiazepines
References