The CVA medical abbreviation usually means cerebrovascular accident, which is another name for a stroke, but in a physical exam it can also mean costovertebral angle, a spot on the back over each kidney. Both meanings are common, so the words around CVA decide which one the writer meant.
If the note talks about weakness, speech or brain imaging, it is the stroke meaning. If it says CVA tenderness, it is the back and kidney meaning. Below you will find both explained, sample lines decoded, and the closest relatives, such as TIA.
At a glance
Stands for
Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)Other meanings
Costovertebral angle, as in CVA tenderness on a kidney examUsed in
Neurology, emergency care, urology, general examsWhere you see it
History lists, physical exam findings, discharge summariesWritten as
CVA, CVAT for CVA tenderness, s/p CVADo not confuse with
TIA (symptoms clear, no lasting injury)
CVA as stroke: cerebrovascular accident
Cerebro refers to the brain and vascular to blood vessels. A cerebrovascular accident is an injury to the brain caused by a problem in its blood supply. There are two broad kinds: an ischemic stroke, where a clot or narrowed artery cuts off flow, and a hemorrhagic stroke, where a vessel breaks and bleeds.
Many clinicians and stroke groups now prefer the plain word stroke, since accident suggests something random and unpreventable. Even so, CVA remains very common in charts, problem lists and billing records, so patients and students still see it often.
CVA tenderness: the kidney meaning
The costovertebral angle is the corner on each side of the lower back where the bottom rib meets the spine. The kidneys sit just under this area. During an exam, the clinician presses or gently taps there with a fist. Pain at that spot is called CVA tenderness, sometimes written CVAT.
This finding can point toward a kidney problem, such as a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) or a kidney stone, though muscle strain can also hurt there. That is why the CVA medical abbreviation shows up in abdomen and back exams, often next to a urine test (UA) or a KUB x ray.
Finding the CVA medical abbreviation meaning in sample notes
The same note can even contain both meanings. This table shows how the neighboring words give it away.
| Line in the chart | Which CVA | Plain reading |
|---|---|---|
| PMH: CVA with residual L sided weakness | Stroke | A past stroke that left some weakness on the left |
| Abd soft, NT. (+) R CVA tenderness | Costovertebral angle | Pain when the right kidney area of the back was tapped |
| No CVAT bilaterally | Costovertebral angle | No tenderness over either kidney |
| Acute CVA, code stroke called | Stroke | A stroke happening now, team alerted |
In an urgent care note: "Dysuria and fever x 2 days, R CVA tenderness, UA positive." Here CVA has nothing to do with the brain. It records pain over the right kidney area in someone with urinary symptoms.
The s/p CVA medical abbreviation on a chart
S/P is short for status post, which tells you something happened earlier. So s/p CVA means the person had a stroke in the past. It is often followed by details such as which side was affected or what deficits remain, for example s/p CVA with aphasia, which means trouble with language after a stroke.
This history matters for many later decisions, including fall risk, swallowing safety, physical therapy plans and choice of blood thinning medicines.
Stroke terms that travel with CVA
When the stroke meaning is in play, CVA often sits beside other shorthand. Knowing these helps decode an emergency or neurology note.
| Shorthand | Meaning |
|---|---|
| TIA | Transient ischemic attack, symptoms that clear without lasting injury |
| LKW | Last known well, the time the person was last seen normal |
| CTH | CT scan of the head, often the first image |
| tPA | A clot dissolving medicine given in some ischemic strokes |
| LVO | Large vessel occlusion, when a main brain artery is shut |
Reading tips and a safety word
The Joint Commission has not placed CVA on its do-not-use list, but its double meaning can confuse readers. When the meaning is not clear, many writers spell out stroke or costovertebral angle tenderness. If a portal note leaves you unsure which one applies, the nurse or the clinician who wrote it can clarify. The conditions and diagnoses section lists more abbreviations of this kind.
A face that suddenly droops on one side, a weak arm or slurred words are stroke warning signs that call for 911 straight away.
Use this as background reading on chart language. Questions about a stroke history or a kidney finding in your own record belong with your care team.
Frequently asked questions
What is CVA short for in a medical chart?
Most often CVA means cerebrovascular accident, the formal name for a stroke. In exam notes it can instead mean costovertebral angle, the area of the back over the kidneys.
What is CVA tenderness in the abdomen exam?
It is pain when the clinician taps or presses the back just below the ribs on either side of the spine. Though it is part of the abdominal and back exam, it mainly helps check the kidneys for infection or stones.
Is CVA the same as a stroke?
In the brain sense, yes. CVA is an older, formal term for stroke, and many teams now simply write stroke instead.
What is the difference between CVA and TIA?
A CVA leaves lasting brain injury, while a TIA causes similar symptoms that clear and shows no new injury on imaging. Both need urgent medical review.
Why does my kidney exam mention CVA?
Because the letters also stand for costovertebral angle. The note is describing whether the back over your kidneys was sore when examined, not a stroke.