Abbreviations

  • 3TC lamivudine ab antibody
  • ABC abacavir
  • ACE-inhibitor angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor
  • ABG analysis arterial blood gas analysis
  • ACR albumin/creatinine ratio
  • ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone
  • ADR adverse drug reaction
  • AED automated external defribillator
  • AIDP acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
  • AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
  • AKI acute kidney injury
  • ALP alkaline phosphatase
  • ALT alanine transaminase
  • ANCA antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies
  • ANF antinuclear factor
  • anti-HBs antibody to the hepatitis B surface antigen
  • anti-Hbe hepatitis B e-antibody
  • aPTT activated partial thromboplastin time
  • ARB angiotensin II receptor blocker
  • ARDS acute respiratory distress syndrome
  • ART antiretroviral therapy
  • ARV antiretroviral medicine
  • AST aspartate aminotransferase
  • ATV/r atazanavir/ritonavir
  • AV atrioventricular
  • AZT zidovudine
  • BCG vaccine Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine
  • Beta-HCG test beta-human chorionic gonadotropin test
  • BMI body mass index
  • BMD bone mineral density
  • BP blood pressure
  • 0 C (degrees) Celcius
  • Ca calcium
  • CAB circulation airways breathing
  • CAD coronary artery disease
  • CCF congestive cardiac failure
  • CD Crohn’s disease
  • CD4 cluster of differentiation 4
  • CIDP chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
  • CIN contrast induced nephrotoxicity
  • CK creatinine kinase
  • CKD chronic kidney disease
  • Cl chloride
  • CLAT cryptococcus latex agglutination test
  • cm centimetre
  • cmv cytomegalovirus
  • CNS central nervous system
  • CO2 carbon dioxide
  • COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • CPAP continuous positive airway pressure
  • CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • CrAg cryptococcal antigen
  • CrCl creatinine clearance
  • CRP C-reactive protein
  • CSF cerobrospinal fluid
  • CSU catheter specimen urine
  • CT computerized tomography
  • CVA cerebral vascular accident
  • CVD cardiovascular disease
  • CVS cardiovascular system
  • CXR chest X-ray
  • d4T stavudine
  • DBP diastolic blood pressure
  • DC direct current
  • DIC disseminated intravascular coagulation
  • DILI drug-induced liver injury
  • DKA hyperglycaemia diabetic ketoacidosis
  • dL decilitre
  • DMARD disease-modifying antirheumatic drug
  • DMPA depot medroxyprogesterone acetate
  • DNA deoxyribonucleic acid
  • DRESS drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms
  • DR-TB drug resistant tuberculosis
  • DU duodenal ulcer
  • DVT deep venous thrombosis
  • E or EMB ethambutol
  • ECG electrocardiogram
  • EEG electroencephalogram
  • EFV efavirenz
  • eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate
  • ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
  • EML essential medicine list
  • EPI expanded programme on immunisation
  • ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate
  • ESRD end stage renal disease
  • FBC full blood count
  • FDC fixed dose combination
  • FEV1 forced expiratory volume in 1 second
  • FFP fresh frozen plasma
  • FH familial hypercholesterolaemia
  • FiO2 fraction of inspired oxygen
  • FPG fasting plasma glucose
  • FSH follicle-stimulating hormone
  • FTA-abs fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption
  • FTC emtricitabine
  • FVC forced vital capacity
  • G6PD glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
  • g gram
  • GDM gestational diabetes
  • GGT gamma-glutamyl transferase
  • GH growth hormone
  • GI(T) gastrointestinal (tract)
  • GORD gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • GU gastrointestinal ulcer
  • H or INH isoniazid
  • HAP hospital-acquired pneumonia
  • Hb haemoglobin
  • HbA1c glycosylated haemoglobin
  • HbeAg hepatitis B e-antigen
  • HBIG hepatitis B immune globulin
  • HbS sickle haemoglobin
  • HBsAb hepatitis B surface antibody
  • HBsAg hepatitis B surface antigen
  • HbSS sickle cell haemoglobin
  • HBV hepatitis B virus
  • HCl hydrochloric acid
  • HCO3 bicarbonate
  • HCW healthcare workers
  • HCV hepatitis C virus
  • HDL high-density lipoprotein
  • Hep B hepatitis B
  • HHS hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state
  • HIV human immunodeficiency virus
  • HMGCoA 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–coenzyme A
  • H2 O water
  • HR heart rate
  • HRIG human rabies immunoglobulin
  • HSV herpex simplex virus
  • HT hormone therapy
  • ICS Inhaled corticosteroid
  • ICU Intensive care unit
  • IgG immunoglobulin G
  • IgM immunoglobulin M
  • IM intramuscular
  • INR international normalized ratio
  • IOP intraocular pressure
  • IPT isoniazid preventive therapy
  • IRIS immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome
  • ITP immune thrombocytopenia
  • IU international unit
  • IUD intrauterine contraceptive device
  • IV intravenous
  • J Joule
  • K+ potassium
  • kg kilogram
  • KS Kaposi Sarcoma
  • L litre
  • LABA long-acting beta2 agonist
  • LBBB left bundle branch block
  • LDH lactate dehydrogenase
  • LDL (-C) low-density lipoprotein (-cholesterol)
  • LH luteinizing hormone
  • LoE level of evidence
  • LMWH low molecular weight heparin
  • LP lumbar puncture
  • LPA line probe assay
  • LPV/r lopinavir/ritonavir
  • LV left ventricular
  • MAC minimum alveolar concentration
  • mcg microgram
  • MCH mean corpuscular haemoglobin
  • MCV mean corpuscular volume
  • MDEA 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (“Ice”, “Eve”)
  • MDI metered dose inhaler
  • MDR-TB multi-drug resistant tuberculosis
  • MDMA 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“Ecstacy”)
  • mg milligram
  • MI myocardial infarction
  • min minute
  • mL millilitre
  • mm3 Cubic millimetre
  • mmHg Millimeters mercury
  • mmoL millimole
  • mOsm milliosmole
  • MRI magnetic resonance imaging
  • MRSA Methicillin (cloxacillin) resistant S. aureus
  • MSU midstream specimen of urine
  • MTB Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • MU million units
  • MVA manual vacuum aspiration
  • Na sodium
  • NaCl sodium chloride
  • NEMLC National Essential Medicines List Committee
  • NAC N-acetylcysteine
  • NERD non-erosive reflux disease
  • NICD National Institute for Communicable Diseases
  • NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
  • NMA normetanephrine
  • nmol nanomole
  • NNRTI non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
  • NPH insulin Neutral Protamine Hagedorn insulin
  • NRS numeric rating scale
  • NRTI nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor
  • NSAID non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
  • NSTEMI non ST elevation myocardial infarction
  • NVP nevirapine
  • NYHA New York Heart Association (functional classification)
  • ORS oral rehydration solution
  • PaCO2 partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood
  • PaO2 partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood
  • PAIR percutaneous aspiration injection of helminthicidal agent and re-aspiration
  • PCA device patient controlled analgesia device
  • PCR polymerase chain reaction
  • PEF peak expiratory flow
  • PEG polyethylene glycol
  • PEP post exposure prophylaxis
  • pH acidity (partial pressure of hydrogen)
  • PHC primary healthcare
  • PI protease inhibitor
  • PID pelvic inflammatory disease
  • PMTCT prevention of mother to child transmission
  • PO4 phosphate
  • PONV post operative nausea and vomiting
  • PPG post prandial plasma glucose
  • PPH post-partum haemorrhage
  • PPI proton pump inhibitor
  • PPROM preterm prelabour rupture of membranes
  • PROM prelabour rupture of membranes at term
  • PT prothrombin time
  • PTH parathyroid hormone
  • PTL preterm labour
  • PTT partial thromboplastin time
  • PV per vagina (vaginal route)
  • PZA or Z pyrazinamide
  • RA rheumatoid arthritis
  • R or RIF rifampicin
  • RBC red blood cell
  • Rh Rhesus
  • RH rifampicin/isoniazid combination
  • RHZE rifampicin/isoniazid/pyrazinamide/ethambutol combination
  • RNA ribonucleic acid
  • RF rheumatoid factor
  • RPR rapid plasma reagin
  • RRT renal replacement therapy
  • RUT rapid urine test
  • SABA short-acting beta2 agonist
  • SBGM self-blood glucose monitoring
  • SBP systolic blood pressure
  • SC subcutaneously
  • SJS Stevens-Johnson syndrome
  • SIADH syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone
  • SL sublingual
  • SLE systemic lupus erythematosus
  • SSRI selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor
  • STEMI ST elevation myocardial infarction
  • STG standard treatment guideline
  • STI sexually transmitted infection
  • T3 triiodothyronine
  • T4 thyroxine
  • TB tuberculosis
  • TB-IRIS TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome
  • TBSA total body surface area
  • TCA tricyclic antidepressants
  • TDD total daily dose
  • TDF tenofovir
  • TEN toxic epidermal necrolysis
  • TIA transient ischaemic attack
  • TOP termination of pregnancy
  • TP Treponema pallidum
  • TPHA Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay
  • TPN total parenteral nutrition
  • TSH thyroid-stimulating hormone
  • TST tuberculin skin test
  • TTP HUS thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/haemolytic uraemic syndrome
  • UA unstable angina
  • UDV unit dose vial
  • UE ung. emulsificans BP (emulsifying ointment)
  • UEA ung. emulisificans aqueosum BP (aqueous cream)
  • ULN upper limit of normal
  • UTI urinary tract infection
  • VDRL test venereal disease research laboratory test
  • VF ventricular fibrillation
  • VHF viral haemorrhagic fever
  • VL viral load
  • VMA vanillylmandelic acid
  • VSD ventricular septal defect
  • VT ventricular tachycardia
  • VTE venous thromboembolism
  • VZIG varicella-zoster immunoglobulin
  • VWF von Willebrand factor
  • WCC white cell count
  • WHO World Health Organisation
  • WPW syndrome Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
  • XDR-TB extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis