Meanings of those abbreviations used on this site
5-HT 5 hydroxytryptamine
ABPM
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
ACE Angiotensin converting enzyme
ADL
Activities of daily living
AF Atrial fibrillation
ARR
Absolute risk reduction (absolute arithmetic difference in outcome rates between
active group and control group).
BP Blood pressure
BMI Body mass index
BMR
Basal metabolic rate
BS Blood sugar
CABG
Coronary artery bypass graft
CAD Coronary artery disease
CCF
Congestive cardiac failure
CCU
Coronary care unit
CHD Coronary heart disease
CHI
Commission for Health Improvement (independent regulator of NHS performance)
CI Confidence intervals
COAD
Chronic obstructive airways disease
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CRP C-reactive protein
CSM
Committee on Safety of Medicines
CVA
Cerebrovascular accident/stroke
DBP
Diastolic blood pressure
DVT Deep vein thrombosis
ECG Electrocardiograph
EMD
Electromechanical dissociation
FDA
US Food and Drug Administration
FPG
Fasting plasma glucose
GFR
Glomerular filtration rate
GP & GMP
General medical practitioner
GTN
Glyceryl trinitrate
GUM Genitourinary medicine
HDL
High density lipoprotein cholesterol
HMGCoA 3-hydroxy-3methylglutaryl-coenzyme A
HRT Hormone replacement therapy
ICP
Intracranial pressure
IDDM
Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
IGT
Impaired glucose tolerance
IHD
Ischaemic heart disease
IL Interleukin
INR
International Normalised Ratio
LCPUFAs
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids
LDL Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
LMWH
Low molecular weight heparin
LVH
Left ventricular hypertrophy
MCA
Medicines Control Agency (now Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency)
MHRA Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
MI Myocardial infarction/ heart attack
MRFIT
Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial
MS Multiple sclerosis
MUFA
Monounsaturated fatty acids
NIDDM
Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NNH
Number needed to harm
NNT
Number needed to treat (to prevent 1 bad outcome)
NO Nitric oxide
NSAID
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSP
Non-starch polysaccharides
OCP
Oral contraceptive pill
ONS
Office of National Statistics
OR Odds ratio
OSA
Obstructive sleep apnoea
PDGF
Platelet derived growth factor
PMH
Past medical history
PTCA
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
PUFA
n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids
PVD
Peripheral vascular disease
QALY
Quality adjusted life year
RCGP
Royal Collage of General Practitioners
RCT
Randomised controlled trial
RRR
Relative risk reduction (proportional reduction in outcome between active group
and control group)
SAH
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
SCD Sudden cardiac death
SMC Smooth muscle cell
SSRI
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
STI Sexually transmitted infection
TDE
Total dietary energy
THcy Total plasma homocysteine
TIA
Transient ischaemic attack
TNF
Tumour necrosis factor
t-PA Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator
VF Ventricular fibrillation
VLDL
Very low-density lipoprotein
VT
Ventricular tachycardia
VTE
Venous thromboembolism
WHO World Health Organisation
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The Minster Practice, Lichfield
