Medical Terminology: Abbreviations W-Z
Medical abbreviations that begin with W-Z are listed here.
Medical Abbreviations
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W
- Abbreviation: WAIS-R
Meaning: Wechsler adult intelligene scale revised
- Abbreviation: WAP
Meaning: wandering atrial pacemaker (see multifocal atrial tachycardia)
- Abbreviation: WAS
Meaning: Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
- Abbreviation: WASP
Meaning: Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein
- Abbreviation: WAT
Meaning: white adipose tissue
- Abbreviation: WBC
Meaning: white blood cell; white blood cell count
- Abbreviation: WBI
Meaning: whole bowel irrigation
- Abbreviation: WBRT
Meaning: whole-brain radiotherapy treatment
- Abbreviation: WC
Meaning: white cells
- Abbreviation: W/C
Meaning: wheelchair
- Abbreviation: WD
Meaning: well developed
- Abbreviation: WDL
Meaning: within defined limits (as per hospital defined policy)
- Abbreviation: WH
Meaning: well hydrated (not dehydrated or hyperhydrated)
- Abbreviation: WDWN
Meaning: well developed and well nourished
- Abbreviation: WEE
Meaning: Western equine encephalitis virus
- Abbreviation: WG
Meaning: Wegener's granulomatosis
- Abbreviation: WISC-R
Meaning: Wechsler intelligence scale for children revised
- Abbreviation: WN
Meaning: well nourished
- Abbreviation: WNL
Meaning: within normal limits (also: we never looked)
- Abbreviation: W/O; w/o
Meaning: without
- Abbreviation: WOI
Meaning: without incident
- Abbreviation: WPW
Meaning: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
- Abbreviation: WS
Meaning: Waardenburg syndrome; Warkany syndrome; water-soluble; Werner syndrome; West syndrome; Williams syndrome; Wolfram syndrome
- Abbreviation: wt
Meaning: weight (whether human weight or otherwise)
- Abbreviation: WWI
Meaning: walking while intoxicated (ethanol or other drugs); World War I
X
- Abbreviation: x
Meaning: (x with macron) except
- Abbreviation: X-AFP
Meaning: extended alpha-fetoprotein
- Abbreviation: XR
Meaning: extended release (see Time Release Technology); x-ray (see radiography)
- Abbreviation: XRT
Meaning: radiotherapy used in cancer treatment
Y
- Abbreviation: y
Meaning: year or years
- Abbreviation: YO; yo; y/o
Meaning: years old
- Abbreviation: YPLL
Meaning: years of potential life lost
- Abbreviation: yr
Meaning: year or years
Z
- Abbreviation: ZD
Meaning: zinc deficiency
- Abbreviation: ZDV
Meaning: zidovudine
- Abbreviation: ZES
Meaning: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
- Abbreviation: ZIFT
Meaning: zygote intrafallopian transfer
- Abbreviation: Zn
Meaning: zinc
Medical Abbreviations
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Medical Coding
Medical coding is dependent upon a solid understanding of medical terminology.
To be successful and accurate medical coders must have a solid understanding of common medical terms for various reasons which include:
- Reading and understanding medical dictation
- Proper code look up and selection
- Communicating with physicians, insurance companies, and other medical professionals
- Understanding human anatomy
- Appealing claim denials
Abbreviations
Medical abbreviations are used all the time in hospitals, clinics and various health institutions.
Many of these abbreviations are well-known and in use outside medical settings, but different institutions can develop internal abbreviations that aren't generally recognized.
Medical abbreviations are used to save time when diagnosing and writing charts. We've tried to put together an exhaustive list of the ones that are in general use.
Punctuation
Remember that punctuation can matter with medical abbreviations.
The abbreviation WC means white cells. If it's wheelchair you mean, you use the abbreviation W/C.
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