Abbreviations are common in the field of diabetes. Here's a listing of many of them you might encounter; please let us know if you are aware of another one we could add!
A B
C D E
F G H
I J K
L M N
O P Q
R S T
U V W
X Y Z
A
A1c or A1C
A test that shows the
percentage of hemoglobin that has glucose attached.
See
A1c.
The test which measures your average blood glucose control over the preceding several months. This test is generally performed at 3 month intervals.
Also called Glycosylated hemoglobin (GHB).
AACE
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
(www.aace.com)
AADE
American Association of Diabetes Educators.
(www.aadenet.org)
ACE inhibitor or ACEI
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.
Any of a group of medications that lowers blood pressure
and helps protect the kidneys.
ADA
American Diabetes Association
(www.diabetes.org)
or
American Dietetic Association
(www.eatright.org)
ARA II
Angiotensin II receptor antagonists.
Any of a group of medications that lowers blood pressure.
Also called
Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB).
ARB
Angiotensin receptor blocker.
Any of a group of medications that lowers blood pressure.
Also called
Angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARA II).
ASCVD
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
ASHD
Atherosclerotic Heart Disease
AST
Alternative Site Testing.
See lag time in alternativeland
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B
BG
Blood glucose
(Some laboratories, and some meters, measure plasma glucose. To convert, multiply blood glucose by 1.12 to get plasma glucose.)
BMI
Body Mass Index.
A measurement of total body fat which takes into account a person's weight and height.
BP
Blood pressure. Normally 2 numbers - e.g., 140/90. As the heart beats the pressure of the blood goes up and down. The first number is the highest pressure, the second number the lowest pressure. Recorded usually as millimetres of mercury, or mmHg.
BSL
Blood sugar level. See BG.
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C
CDA
Canadian Diabetes Association
(www.diabetes.ca)
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A US governmental agency.
(www.cdc.gov)
CDE
Certified Diabetes Educator
http://www.ncbde.org
CGMS
Continuous Glucose Monitoring System - a system for recording glucose level continuously.
CHO or Carb
Carbohydrates. CHO is its chemical name, since it is made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
CSII
Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion
(insulin given by insulin pump).
CVD Cardiovascular disease. Disease of the heart or blood vessels.
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D
DCCT
Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. A research study that evaluated the effects of tight control in
type 1 diabetes.
See discussion of the DCCT
DESA
Diabetes Exercise & Sports Association
(www.diabetes-exercise.org)
DI
Diabetes Insipidus. A disorder of water metabolism; usually separate from Diabetes Mellitus, but may rarely occur in combination with Diabetes Mellitus
in what is called the Wolfram syndrome (or DIDMOAD), an inherited syndrome with diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness.
DIDMOAD
Diabetes Insipidus, Diabetes Mellitus, Optic Atrophy and Deafness.
See DI
DKA
Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Ketosis is the presence of ketones in the blood. In diabetes, this can progress to the complex and serious condition of DKA. If untreated, this leads to coma and death.
DM Diabetes Mellitus
DPP
Diabetes Prevention Program. A research study that evaluated whether either diet and exercise or medication could delay or prevent type 2 diabetes
See discussion of the DPP
DPT-1
Diabetes Prevention Trial — Type 1.A research study that evaluated if type 1 diabetes
can be delayed. See discussion of the DPT-1
DX or Dx or dx Diagnosis
DXed or DX'ed Diagnosed
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E
Endo Endocrinologist. A diabetes specialist or consultant.
ER Emergency Room.
ESRD End Stage Renal Disease
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F
FACE Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology.
FACP Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
FBS Fasting Blood Sugar. The blood sugar level first thing in the morning, before eating anything.
FDA Food and Drug Administration. The US government agency that regulates the use of pharmaceutical products in America.
FPG Fasting Plasma Glucose. The blood sugar level first thing in the morning, before eating anything.
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G
GAD
Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase. The presence of antibodies to GAD (called anti-GAD antibodies)
an indication of the presence of an autoimmune process in
type 1 diabetes.
GDM
Gestational diabetes. Diabetes which is first diagnosed during pregnancy.
See
am I at risk for gestational diabetes?.
GHB or GHb
A test that shows the
percentage of hemoglobin that has glucose attached.
More often called A1c or A1C (GHB); see
A1c.
The test which measures your average blood glucose control over the preceding several months. This test is generally performed at 3 month intervals.
GI
Glycemic index. A measure of how rapidly the carbohydrate in a particular food actually hits your blood stream.
or
gastrointestinal (referring to the stomach and gut)
GP General Practitioner. Your "general" doctor, not a specialist.
Many people have their diabetes overseen by their GP.
GTT Glucose Tolerance Test
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H
H Humalog. A rapid acting insulin made by Eli Lilly. Also known as insulin lispro (or lyspro).
HbA1c, HA1c, HgA1c
Glycosylated hemoglobin, or hemoglobin A1c. Also abbreviated to A1c. See A1c.
HBP High blood pressure (hypertension)
HCP Health Care Professional
or Health Care Provider: A somewhat derogatory term favored by TPPs to describe physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals.
HLA Human Leukocyte Antigen
HMO
Health Maintenance Organization. A type of US health insurer that focusses on maintaining your health, rather than curing diseases.
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I
IDDM
Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.
Former term for
type 1 diabetes.
IDF International Diabetes Federation
(www.idf.org/)
IFG
Impaired Fasting Glucose.
IGT
Impaired Glucose Tolerance.
IM
Intramuscular Injection. An injection into a muscle. Intramuscular injections hurt, but are absorbed faster. Particularly good for glucagon injections when treating a bad hypo.
INH
Inhaled insulin. INH is in development, and has not been approved for general use (as of May, 2004).
Also,
Isoniazid hydrochloride, a medication for treatment of tuberculosis.
ISPAD
International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes
(www.ispad.org)
IV
Intravenous.
IVGTT
Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test
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J
JDF or JDRF
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Recently changed its name to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
http://www.jdrf.org/
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K
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L
L Lente. A cloudy insulin that lasts slightly longer than NPH. Also known as Monotard.
LADA
Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults
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M
MDI
Multiple Daily Injections. Three or more injections of insulin (usually of two or more different types) through the course of the day.
mg/dL
Milligrams per deciliter. A common unit for measuring blood glucose levels. See also mmol/L
mmol/L
Millimoles per liter. A common unit for measuring blood glucose levels. See also mg/dL.
MODY
Maturity onset diabetes of the young. (Term coined in 1974; alternative expansion of the acronym, as of 02Dec2004:
Mutation-Originated Diabetes in the Young.)
A group of rare genetic disorders occurring in children that resemble
type 2 diabetes.
For more information, see:
MODY
MPH Master of Public Health.
MSN Master of Science in Nursing.
MSW Master of Social Work.
MI Myocardial infarction ("heart attack").
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N
N or NPH
Neutral Protamine Hagedorn. A cloudy medium-acting insulin. Also known as Insulatard.
Sometimes sarcastically called "Not Particularly Helpful" as it is notorious for generating nighttime
hypoglycemia; it has been largely replaced by
Lantus (insulin glargine)
and
Levemir (insulin detemir).
NIDDK National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease: A US government agency
that deals with diabetes; part of the NIH.
(www.niddk.nih.gov)
NIDDM Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus. Former term for
type 2 diabetes.
NLD Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum
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O
OGTT
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
OHA
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents A fancy way to say "diabetes pills."
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P
PCOS
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
A syndrome occurring in women with
insulin resistance.
See
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
PCP
Primary Care Physician (or provider). Your "main doc". May also refer to Preferred Care Provider, if talking about US insurance coverage.
PPAR
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor. Almost always followed by another letter, such as
alpha or gamma: PPAR-alpha or PPAR-gamma. PPARs play a key role in regulating blood glucose. Several drugs are in development that influence PPARs.
PPG
Postprandial Glucose. Blood sugar level after eating.
PVD Peripheral Vascular Disease
PWD
People with Diabetes.
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Q
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R
R
Regular insulin. The common name for the clear soluble insulin. Not to be confused with
lispro (Humalog),
aspart (Novolog),
or
glulisine (Apidra),
which are not of the same duration as Regular insulin, but instead are rapid-acting insulin
analogs.
RHI
Regular Human Insulin. See R, above.
Rx
Prescription
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S
SC or SubQ
Subcutaneous
SU
Sulfonylurea. Any of a class of medications that treat hyperglycemia.
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T
T1 or T1D or T1DM
type 1 diabetes. The present terminology for what has previously been called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), or juvenile onset diabetes.
T2 or T2D or T2DM
type 2 diabetes. The present terminology for what has previously been called non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or maturity onset diabetes.
TPP
Third Party Payors.
Insurance companies, HMOs, and governmental agencies that pay for medical care. ("I want the best care that somebody else's money can pay for" Anon.)
TZD
Thiazolidinedione. Any of a class of medications that treat hyperglycemia.
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U
U Ultralente. A cloudy long-acting insulin.
UKPDS United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study, a research study.
See discussion of the UKPDS
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V
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W
WHO
World Health Organization.
(www.who.int/en/)
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X
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Y
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Z
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Also see
Acronym (& Abbreviation) List
at Future Nurses.
Acronym List
at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Glossary
at Insulin Pumpers UK
Professional Acronym and Abbreviation Glossary at about.com
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