AIS
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Automatic Identification System |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Transportation & Travel, Medical |
AIS has two meanings. It stands for Automatic Identification System (maritime) or Acute ischemic stroke (neurology).
Meanings of AIS at a glance
| # | AIS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automatic Identification System | Transportation & Travel › Maritime |
| 2 | Acute ischemic stroke | Medical › Neurology |
1. Automatic Identification System
Transportation & Travel · Maritime Abbreviations
Radio system that automatically broadcasts a ship's identity, position, course, speed and other data to nearby ships and shore stations. AIS is required on most commercial ships and powers public ship-tracking websites such as MarineTraffic.
Example: AIS data showed the container ship had slowed to 3 knots before losing steering.
Required under SOLAS on ships of 300 gross tonnage and above on international voyages and on all passenger ships. Satellites now receive AIS signals far offshore. Ships evading sanctions sometimes switch off or spoof AIS, a practice called "going dark." Recreational boats can carry low-power Class B units.
2. Acute ischemic stroke
Medical · Neurology Abbreviations
Stroke caused by a blood clot or narrowing that cuts off blood supply to part of the brain, presenting with sudden deficits such as facial droop, arm weakness or speech disturbance. Treatment depends on timing: clot-dissolving drugs within 4.5 hours and mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusions up to 24 hours in selected patients.
Example: Code stroke: AIS with left MCA syndrome, NIHSS 14, LKW 07:45; tenecteplase given and thrombectomy team activated.
Ischemic causes are classified by the TOAST system into large artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism (often atrial fibrillation), small vessel (lacunar) disease, other determined causes and undetermined causes. The public FAST or BE-FAST acronyms (balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, time) teach people to call emergency services immediately. In orthopedics AIS means adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Related abbreviations
More maritime abbreviations
- AB – Able Seaman
- ARPA – Automatic radar plotting aid
- B/L – Bill of lading
- COG – Course over ground
- COLREGS – International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
- CPA – Closest point of approach
- DR – Dead reckoning
- DSC – Digital selective calling
See all 61 maritime abbreviations →
More neurology abbreviations
- ACom – Anterior communicating artery
- AD – Alzheimer's disease
- ADEM – Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
- AED – Antiepileptic drug
- ALS – Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- AMS – Altered mental status
- ASIA – American Spinal Injury Association
- ASM – Antiseizure medication
See all 131 neurology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.