SCD
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Sickle cell disease |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Medical, Education & Academia, Technology & Computing |
| Also written | ScD |
SCD has four meanings. The most common are Sickle cell disease (hematology and oncology) and Sudden cardiac death (cardiology); it can also stand for Doctor of Science and Slowly changing dimension.
Meanings of SCD at a glance
| # | SCD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sickle cell disease | Medical › Hematology and Oncology |
| 2 | Sudden cardiac death | Medical › Cardiology |
| 3 | Doctor of Science | Education & Academia › Degree |
| 4 | Slowly changing dimension | Technology & Computing › Data & Database |
1. Sickle cell disease
Medical · Hematology and Oncology Abbreviations
Group of inherited red blood cell disorders, including HbSS, HbSC and sickle beta-thalassemia, in which abnormal hemoglobin S makes red cells rigid and sickle-shaped. This causes painful vaso-occlusive crises, chronic anemia, stroke, acute chest syndrome and organ damage.
Example: SCD (HbSS) presenting with vaso-occlusive crisis; IV opioids within 60 minutes and incentive spirometry.
About 100,000 Americans have SCD, most of African ancestry, and all US states screen newborns. Hydroxyurea reduces crises and acute chest syndrome, and in December 2023 the FDA approved two gene therapies, including the first CRISPR-based treatment. Children are screened annually with transcranial Doppler to prevent stroke. In cardiology SCD means sudden cardiac death.
2. Sudden cardiac death
Medical · Cardiology Abbreviations
Unexpected natural death from a cardiac cause, usually within an hour of symptom onset or during sleep, most often from ventricular fibrillation. Coronary artery disease underlies most adult cases, while inherited conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and channelopathies dominate in the young.
Example: Family history of SCD in a brother at age 32; ECG, echo and genetic testing advised for first-degree relatives.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the event and SCD the fatal outcome, though the terms are often blurred. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are used for primary prevention in high-risk patients and for secondary prevention in survivors. In hematology SCD means sickle cell disease; the section of the chart usually makes the meaning clear.
3. Doctor of Science (ScD)
Education & Academia · Degree Abbreviations
Research doctorate offered by MIT and some other American universities as an alternative title for the PhD, with the same requirements. Students in many MIT engineering departments may choose whether their diploma reads PhD or ScD.
Example: He earned an ScD in mechanical engineering at MIT, where the title is interchangeable with the PhD.
Written Sc.D. or, in Latin order, D.Sc. The American ScD should not be confused with the British DSc, a higher doctorate awarded later in a career. Some US universities also confer an honorary ScD on scientists at commencement.
4. Slowly changing dimension
Technology & Computing · Data & Database Abbreviations
A data-warehousing technique for handling dimension attributes that change over time, such as a customer's address. Type 1 overwrites the old value, Type 2 adds a new row with validity dates to keep history, and Type 3 stores the previous value in a column.
Example: Customer is an SCD Type 2 table, so last year's sales still roll up to the old region.
Ralph Kimball's dimensional modeling methodology defined the types, and hybrid types 4 to 7 also exist. Type 2 is the most common when history matters, using surrogate keys and effective-date columns. Tools such as dbt snapshots automate it.
Related abbreviations
More hematology and oncology abbreviations
- RECIST – Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors
- RT – Radiation therapy
- SBRT – Stereotactic body radiation therapy
- SCA – Sickle cell anemia
- SCLC – Small cell lung cancer
- SCT – Sickle cell trait
- SD – Stable disease
- SEER – Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program
See all 144 hematology and oncology abbreviations →
More cardiology abbreviations
- SBE – Subacute bacterial endocarditis
- SBP – Systolic blood pressure
- SCAD – Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
- SEM – Systolic ejection murmur
- SSS – Sick sinus syndrome
- ST – ST segment
- STEMI – ST-elevation myocardial infarction
- SVG – Saphenous vein graft
See all 229 cardiology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.