Hiddy-ho!! This is my first contrib--so far I've been receiving, now it's time to give back some. (Hopefully this is an actual contribution and not just a reiteration of something you all have already covered somewhere else on the board!!)

Today, I was zipping along and realized there are a several prefixes/suffixes that are really close and thought hmmm... it would be cool to have a simple system to distinguish them in an abbreviation. I came up with a couple on my own and hope you will all try your hand at some others.

I started with hyperkalemia...opposite of that is, of course, hypokalemia. I figured that the hyper- was more common than hypo-, so I came up with this:

hkal=hyperkalemia
hokal=hypokalemia

Then I went on with more:

hmag=hypermagnesemia
homag=hypomagnesemia
htn=hypertension
hotn=hypotension
hgly=hyperglycemia
hogly=hypoglycemia


Then I thought about how many prefixes were really close, like anti- and ante-. To come up with a rule, I think if you use the single letter for the more common prefix, which in this case is anti- (a=anti-) and use a double letter combo for the lesser used prefix (ae=ante-).

ahist=antihistamine
asoc=antisocial
asep=antiseptic
agen=antigen
abio=antibiotic

aecham=antechamber
aegrd=antegrade
aepart=antepartum

There is dis, dys, and dif--these are so close. I chose d=dys, ds=dis, and df=dif, because you stay on the home keys that way.

dlex=dyslexia
dfunc=dysfunction
dpn=dyspnea
des=dysesthesia
dkin=dyskinesia
dtoc=dystocia
dplas=dysplasia
dplac=dysplastic

dse=disease
dsclo=disclosure
dsst=dissect
dssg=dissecting
dssn=dissection
dscon=discontinue
dsinf=disinfect
dsloc=dislocation
dslocd=dislocated
dspo=disposition

dfr=differ
dfrc=difference
dfrt=different
dfrtt=differentiate
dfrtn=differentiation
dfu=diffuse
dfct=difficult
dfcy=difficulty

There are so many prefixes and suffixes that are close:
com and con;
contra and counter;
graph and gram;
inter, intro, intra, and infra;
flect, flex, and flux;
macro and micro;
super and supra;
per and peri;
pre and pro;
auto and audio;
oro and oto;
photo and phono;
cede, ceed, and cess---just to name a few!!


I'm not sure about this, but I think there is even a way to just put the prefix or suffix abbreviation into IT and when you type it IT will add it to the short you are using, example:

snc=syncope Type p for pre before that and you get:
psnc=presyncope
sncl=syncopal
psncl=presyncopal


Love,
Little Bee

I think those are some great suggestions and I plan on swiping most of them. LOL

I will admit that for the hyper-- words I use hy- but I do use the ho- for the hypo-- words. I had been having trouble figuring out a way to address the other prefix/suffix abbreviations that you mentioned, but I think you have given me a good starting place.

I'm with Babs, that's one beautiful post, Little Bee! Really and truly excellent! This is the kind of stuff that is crucial to me personally. I am definitely a "system" person for the most part. Great ideas you have and thanks so much for sharing them here!

GREAT suggestions! I have already copied and pasted from your post into IT. Super!!!!

Hello, Auntie Em! Thanks for joining the board; great to have you and hope you enjoy it here!