In medical notation, what does the symbol Δ denote?

In medical notation, what does the symbol Δ denote?

• A. Temperature
• B. Change
• C. Degree
• D. Time

Answer: (B)

Δ, pronounced delta, denotes a change or difference in a quantity between two measurements or conditions. In medical notation this is used to express how a patient’s value has shifted from baseline, such as changes in blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, or other parameters after an intervention. It communicates the amount of difference rather than the absolute value. For example, a ΔBP of +10 mmHg means blood pressure increased by 10 mmHg from the prior reading; a Δtemperature of +1°C means body temperature rose by 1 degree. It isn’t a unit like temperature or time—it's a symbol for change.

Δ, pronounced delta, denotes a change or difference in a quantity between two measurements or conditions. In medical notation this is used to express how a patient’s value has shifted from baseline, such as changes in blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, or other parameters after an intervention. It communicates the amount of difference rather than the absolute value. For example, a ΔBP of +10 mmHg means blood pressure increased by 10 mmHg from the prior reading; a Δtemperature of +1°C means body temperature rose by 1 degree. It isn’t a unit like temperature or time—it's a symbol for change.