Acute abdominal pain

Abstract

Abdominal pain is a common reason for patients presenting to primary care and has a wide range of differentials. It can be acute or chronic, with the latter being defined as lasting over 3 months. A myriad of conditions can cause acute abdominal pain, ranging from life-threatening to self-limiting. Common causes of acute abdominal pain include differentials from the gastrointestinal, urological, gynaecological, genitourinary, and vascular systems. This requires clinicians to have a breadth of knowledge to safely manage these patients. The differential diagnoses need to be established through a thorough history and physical examination, ultimately aiding the decision between management in primary versus secondary care. This article will highlight features within the history and examination required to distinguish the causes of acute abdominal pain and some to aid decisions on management, whether in primary care or needing referral to secondary care. The article will provide a brief overview of common causes of acute pain by location in the abdomen.