Charting

SOB medical abbreviation

SOB means "shortness of breath".

Each meaning matched at least two public references (4 in all for SOB), checked October 23, 2026. The table lists them.

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What SOB means

Example

Sample note: "denies SOB."

A made-up line that shows the abbreviation in place. It is not about any patient and is not an instruction.

Related abbreviations

  • DOEdyspnea on exertion
  • COPDchronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • CHFcongestive heart failure
  • SPO2peripheral oxygen saturation
  • BMIbody mass index
  • BPblood pressure

Elsewhere on Rivvi

Questions

What does SOB mean in medical terms?

SOB means "shortness of breath".

Where is SOB used?

SOB shows up in charting. Its category here is charting.

Is SOB on the Joint Commission Do Not Use list?

No. SOB is not on the Joint Commission Do Not Use list or the ISMP error-prone list as checked on October 23, 2026.

Source: MedlinePlus Appendix B: Some Common Abbreviations (NLM); NLM SPECIALIST Lexicon abbreviations file (LRABR); CMS Acronyms; Army Regulation 40-66, Appendix B: Authorized Medical Records Abbreviations. Data as of October 23, 2026. Last updated October 23, 2026. How we source data. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

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