Pap
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Papanicolaou test |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Medical |
| Also written | PAP |
Pap has three meanings. The most common are Papanicolaou test (obstetrics & gynecology) and Positive airway pressure (respiratory); it can also stand for Pulmonary artery pressure.
Meanings of Pap at a glance
| # | Pap stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papanicolaou test | Medical › Obstetrics & Gynecology |
| 2 | Positive airway pressure | Medical › Respiratory |
| 3 | Pulmonary artery pressure | Medical › Respiratory |
1. Papanicolaou test
Medical · Obstetrics & Gynecology Abbreviations
Cervical screening test in which cells collected from the cervix are examined under a microscope to detect precancerous changes and cancer. It is often combined with or replaced by testing for high-risk human papillomavirus.
Example: Pap NILM, HPV negative at age 42; repeat co-testing in 5 years.
Named after Greek-American physician George Papanicolaou, who reported in 1928 that cancer cells could be seen in vaginal smears; it became widely used from the 1940s and has dramatically reduced cervical cancer deaths. US guidelines screen from age 21 to 65, with HPV-based testing from age 30. Also called a Pap smear. NILM means negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy.
2. Positive airway pressure (PAP)
Medical · Respiratory Abbreviations
Generic term for therapies that deliver pressurized air through a mask to keep the airway open or assist breathing, including CPAP, BiPAP and auto-titrating devices. In sleep medicine "PAP adherence" refers to how much a patient uses the machine.
Example: PAP download: 6.2 hours average use on 92% of nights, residual AHI 2.1.
US Medicare defines adherence as at least four hours a night on 70 percent of nights during a consecutive 30-day period within the first three months. Mask fit, dryness and claustrophobia are common barriers, addressed with mask changes, heated humidification and desensitization. In gynecology Pap refers to the Pap test, named after George Papanicolaou.
3. Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP)
Medical · Respiratory Abbreviations
Blood pressure in the pulmonary artery, normally about 15 to 25 mmHg systolic and 8 to 15 diastolic, with a mean below 20 mmHg. It is measured directly by right heart catheterization or estimated by echocardiography.
Example: Mean PAP 38 mmHg with PVR 6 Wood units on right heart cath.
A mean PAP above 20 mmHg at rest defines pulmonary hypertension under the 2022 European guidelines. Implantable wireless pressure sensors placed in a pulmonary artery branch let heart failure clinics adjust diuretics remotely, an approach shown in the CHAMPION trial (2011) to reduce hospitalizations. Often written mPAP for the mean value and PASP for systolic pressure.
Related abbreviations
More obstetrics & gynecology abbreviations
- NT – Nuchal translucency
- OB – Obstetrics
- OCP – Oral contraceptive pill
- OHSS – Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
- PGT – Preimplantation genetic testing
- PID – Pelvic inflammatory disease
- PIH – Pregnancy-induced hypertension
- PMS – Premenstrual syndrome
See all 89 obstetrics & gynecology abbreviations →
More respiratory abbreviations
- OHS – Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- OSA – Obstructive sleep apnea
- P/F – PaO2/FiO2 ratio
- PAH – Pulmonary arterial hypertension
- PE – Pulmonary embolism
- PEEP – Positive end-expiratory pressure
- PEF – Peak expiratory flow
- PEFR – Peak expiratory flow rate
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.