Shortbrain

Initialisations, abbreviations and acronyms.  Medicine, like any complex field, is full of 'em. Some of them are similar but mean very different things.  And some of them are doctor's own personal shorthand and don't mean much to anyone else.  So if you're ever unfortunate enough to work in, visit, or be a patient in a hospital, be very careful when you start flinging them around or you may end up with more than you bargained for.

Last year I was talking to the family of a person who had had a stroke.  They were filling me on the patient's medical conditions.  I went and told my registrar that the patient had a family history of IHD, PVD and EPOG.

EPOG? asked my registrar.

Yes, I said.  The family told me that the patient's son had EPOG.

My reg laughed and said, EPOG is Enduring Power of Guardianship.  Difficult to treat.