ATLS
Medical abbreviation · Emergency Medicine
| Stands for | Advanced Trauma Life Support |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
ATLS stands for Advanced Trauma Life Support, an emergency medicine abbreviation.
American College of Surgeons course teaching a systematic approach to the first hour of trauma care, including the primary survey (ABCDE), resuscitation, secondary survey and decisions about transfer.
Example: ATLS primary survey: airway patent, breath sounds decreased left, needle decompression.
Usage notes
Created after orthopedic surgeon James Styner's 1976 plane crash in rural Nebraska, where his injured family received inadequate care; the first course ran in 1978. It is taught in more than 80 countries. Certification lasts four years.
Related abbreviations
More emergency medicine abbreviations
- ACLS – Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
- AD – Advance directive
- ALS – Advanced life support
- AMA – Against medical advice
- AMLS – Advanced Medical Life Support
- AND – Allow natural death
- BIBA – Brought in by ambulance
- BIBEMS – Brought in by emergency medical services
- BLS – Basic life support
- BSI – Body substance isolation
- BVM – Bag-valve-mask
- CAB – Compressions, airway, breathing
See all 97 emergency medicine abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.