The IHD medical abbreviation usually stands for ischemic heart disease, a condition in which the heart muscle does not get enough blood and oxygen, most often because the coronary arteries have narrowed. Many clinicians treat it as another name for coronary artery disease, written CAD.
In kidney care and intensive care, the same letters often mean intermittent hemodialysis, a dialysis treatment given in sessions of a few hours rather than around the clock. That second meaning explains why people search for IHD alongside dialysis. This page covers both, with sample chart lines and the abbreviations that usually sit beside each one.
At a glance
Stands for
Ischemic heart disease (most common)Other meanings
Intermittent hemodialysis (nephrology and ICU)Same as
Coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease, in most chartsWord roots
Isch (hold back) + emia (blood): held back blood flowSpecialty
Cardiology, primary care; nephrology for the dialysis meaningDo not confuse with
IHD is not the same as CHF, though one can lead to the other
Ischemic heart disease: what the term covers
Ischemia comes from Greek roots meaning to hold back blood. In ischemic heart disease, fatty plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the vessels that feed the heart muscle. When those arteries narrow, the muscle may not get enough blood, especially during exertion. That can cause chest pain called angina, shortness of breath or, if an artery becomes blocked, a heart attack.
IHD is an umbrella term. It includes stable angina, past heart attacks, and the long term damage they leave. In most charts it means the same thing as CAD, and some writers use ASHD, for atherosclerotic heart disease, in the same spot.
How IHD reads in a cardiac history
Primary care problem list: "IHD s/p NSTEMI, PCI x2 to RCA, EF 45 percent." In plain words: ischemic heart disease, after a heart attack of the non ST elevation type, with two stents placed in the right coronary artery, and a heart pumping fraction a little below the usual range.
| Shorthand | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MI | Myocardial infarction, a heart attack |
| PCI | Stent or balloon treatment delivered through a catheter |
| CABG | Bypass surgery around blocked arteries |
| EF | Ejection fraction, how much blood the heart pumps per beat |
These lines illustrate format and are not a picture of any one patient.
IHD medical abbreviation in dialysis and ICU notes
Nephrologists use IHD for intermittent hemodialysis. The machine filters the blood in sessions, often about three to four hours, a few times a week for people on long term dialysis, or more often for someone in the hospital with sudden kidney failure. It is compared with CRRT, continuous renal replacement therapy, which runs slowly around the clock and is often chosen when blood pressure is too low to tolerate a standard session.
ICU progress note: "AKI on CKD, off pressors, transition CRRT to IHD." This means the kidney team is moving the patient from continuous dialysis to standard sessions now that blood pressure is stable.
Other dialysis notes may simply write HD for hemodialysis.
Telling the two meanings apart
Since one meaning belongs to heart care and the other to kidney care, the setting usually makes it clear. Heart words such as angina, stent, troponin, cath or statin point to ischemic heart disease. Kidney words such as AKI, ESRD, fistula, catheter, ultrafiltration or CRRT point to intermittent hemodialysis.
A patient can have both, which happens often since heart disease and kidney disease share risk factors. If a line could go either way, a quick question to the nurse or doctor clears it up.
Risk factors listed with ischemic heart disease
The history section of an IHD chart often lists the same group of risk factors:
- High blood pressure, written HTN
- High cholesterol, written HLD
- Diabetes, written DM
- Tobacco use and family history of early heart disease
- Older age and chronic kidney disease
Treatment notes often name aspirin, a statin and blood pressure medicines, plus lifestyle goals. The exact plan belongs to the treating team. Similar heart and kidney terms appear in our diagnosis abbreviations index.
Questions you might ask about IHD
- In my chart, does IHD mean heart disease or a type of dialysis?
- Which arteries are affected, and were stents or bypass used?
- What symptoms should prompt an urgent call or a visit to the emergency department?
- Which medicines are for my heart, and how are they checked?
These explanations are general. Your cardiologist, nephrologist or family doctor can clarify which IHD appears in your records and how it shapes your care.
Frequently asked questions
Is IHD the same as CAD?
In most charts, yes. Ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease both describe reduced blood flow to the heart muscle from narrowed coronary arteries. Some writers use IHD for the effect on the muscle and CAD for the artery disease itself.
What does IHD mean in dialysis?
In dialysis and intensive care notes, IHD means intermittent hemodialysis, given in sessions of a few hours. It is the counterpart to CRRT, which runs continuously.
Does IHD mean someone had a heart attack?
Not necessarily. IHD covers a range, from stable chest pain with exertion to a past heart attack. The rest of the history line usually says whether an MI occurred.
What does ischemic mean?
Ischemic means not getting enough blood flow. Ischemic heart disease means part of the heart muscle is short on blood and oxygen.