HAP
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Hospital-acquired pneumonia |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Medical, Science & Engineering |
HAP has two meanings. It stands for Hospital-acquired pneumonia (infectious disease) or Hazardous air pollutant (environmental).
Meanings of HAP at a glance
| # | HAP stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital-acquired pneumonia | Medical › Infectious Disease |
| 2 | Hazardous air pollutant | Science & Engineering › Environmental |
1. Hospital-acquired pneumonia
Medical · Infectious Disease Abbreviations
Pneumonia that develops 48 hours or more after hospital admission and was not incubating at the time of admission, excluding patients on mechanical ventilation, whose infections are classed separately. Common causes include S. aureus, Pseudomonas and other gram-negative bacteria.
Example: New infiltrate and fever on hospital day 6: HAP, start cefepime and vancomycin pending sputum culture.
The 2016 IDSA/ATS guideline dropped the older category of healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP), which had led to excessive broad-spectrum antibiotic use. Non-ventilator HAP is increasingly recognized as a common, preventable hospital infection, and oral care and early mobilization help reduce it. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the ICU counterpart.
2. Hazardous air pollutant
Science & Engineering · Environmental Abbreviations
Air pollutant known or suspected to cause cancer, birth defects or other serious health effects, regulated under the US Clean Air Act. The list of nearly 190 HAPs includes benzene, mercury, asbestos, formaldehyde, dioxins and lead compounds.
Example: The refinery's permit sets limits on HAP emissions from its storage tanks and flares.
Also called air toxics. The 1990 Clean Air Act amendments created the list and required technology-based standards known as MACT (maximum achievable control technology) for major sources. HAPs differ from the six "criteria pollutants," such as ozone and PM2.5, which have nationwide air-quality standards.
Related abbreviations
More infectious disease abbreviations
- GPC – Gram-positive cocci
- H1N1 – Influenza A virus subtype H1N1
- H5N1 – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1
- HAART – Highly active antiretroviral therapy
- HAV – Hepatitis A virus
- HBsAg – Hepatitis B surface antigen
- HBV – Hepatitis B virus
- HCV – Hepatitis C virus
See all 92 infectious disease abbreviations →
More environmental abbreviations
- GHG – Greenhouse gas
- GMST – Global mean surface temperature
- GWP – Global warming potential
- HAB – Harmful algal bloom
- IPCC – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- LC – Least Concern
- LCA – Life-cycle assessment
- LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
See all 62 environmental abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.