NPA
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Nasopharyngeal airway |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Medical, Business & Finance, Law & Legal |
NPA has three meanings. The most common are Nasopharyngeal airway (emergency medicine) and Non-performing asset (banking); it can also stand for Non-prosecution agreement.
Meanings of NPA at a glance
| # | NPA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nasopharyngeal airway | Medical › Emergency Medicine |
| 2 | Non-performing asset | Business & Finance › Banking |
| 3 | Non-prosecution agreement | Law & Legal › Criminal Law |
1. Nasopharyngeal airway
Medical · Emergency Medicine Abbreviations
Soft tube inserted through a nostril into the back of the throat to keep the airway open, tolerated by patients who still have a gag reflex. It is sized from nostril to earlobe.
Example: NPA placed R nare 7.0, snoring resolved, SpO2 96%.
Lubrication and insertion along the floor of the nose reduce bleeding. Many protocols avoid NPAs in suspected basal skull fracture, although the risk is debated. Also called a nasal trumpet.
2. Non-performing asset
Business & Finance · Banking Abbreviations
Indian banking term for a loan or advance on which interest or principal has been overdue for more than 90 days, as defined by the Reserve Bank of India. NPAs are classified as substandard, doubtful or loss assets depending on how long they have been non-performing.
Example: Gross NPAs at Indian public-sector banks have fallen sharply since peaking in 2018.
The RBI's 2015 asset quality review forced banks to recognize hidden bad loans, pushing NPA ratios up before a long cleanup. Net NPA deducts provisions from gross NPA. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code of 2016 gave lenders a new route to resolve stressed loans.
3. Non-prosecution agreement
Law & Legal · Criminal Law Abbreviations
Agreement in which prosecutors agree not to file charges against a company or individual in exchange for cooperation, payment of penalties and compliance commitments. Unlike a deferred prosecution agreement, no charges are filed in court.
Example: The company avoided indictment through an NPA that required it to self-report future violations.
Because NPAs are not filed with a court, no judge reviews their terms. Justice Department corporate enforcement policies offer NPAs or outright declinations to companies that voluntarily disclose misconduct, cooperate fully and fix the problem. Individual cooperators may receive similar agreements.
Related abbreviations
More emergency medicine abbreviations
- MVC – Motor vehicle collision
- NAT – Non-accidental trauma
- NEXUS – National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study
- NOI – Nature of illness
- NRP – Neonatal Resuscitation Program
- OD – Overdose
- OHCA – Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
- OPA – Oropharyngeal airway
See all 97 emergency medicine abbreviations →
More banking abbreviations
- NACHA – Nacha (formerly National Automated Clearing House Association)
- NEFT – National Electronic Funds Transfer
- NII – Net interest income
- NIM – Net interest margin
- NPL – Non-performing loan
- NSF – Non-sufficient funds
- NSFR – Net stable funding ratio
- ODP – Overdraft protection
See all 80 banking abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical or legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.