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20 red flag symptoms that require A&E
Here are 20 red flag symptoms that usually require A&E care. Each will have examples of significant causes. We hope it helps you decide whether to go to A&E
- Chest pain – e.g. heart attack (especially if chest pain spreads down the left arm, or into the jaw or back), pulmonary embolism (PE), pneumonia, pneumothorax (collapsed lung) or aortic dissection
- Shortness of breath – PE, asthma/COPD, arrhythmia or heart failure
- Abdominal pain (new and severe) – pancreatitis, cholecystitis, perforated ulcer, appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy or obstructed bowel
- Heavy bleeding – vomited or coughed up, or rectal or vaginal
- Back pain (new and severe) – spinal cord compression or cauda equina syndrome
- Weakness (one-sided) – stroke (CVA)
- Facial drooping – stroke (CVA)
- Difficulty speaking – stroke (CVA)
- Confusion (new) – prescribing errors, infection, body chemistry disturbance (e.g. diabetes or AKI) and stroke
- Collapse (and cannot get up) – low blood pressure (and its causes), stroke (CVA) and fractured neck of femur
- Drowsiness – prescribing errors, infection, body chemistry disturbance (e.g. diabetes or AKI) and stroke
- Severe and new headache/loss of vision – meningitis, encephalitis, subarachnoid (SAH) or brain haemorrhage. Loss of vision has many causes – go to the nearest A&E with an ‘eye casualty’ (ring up first)
- Seizure (that doesn’t stop) – if it goes on for more than 30 minutes this is called status epilepticus and needs treatment
- Choking – foreign body stuck
- Swelling – anaphylaxis
- Sepsis? (e.g. high fever/hypothermia) – can be due to infection in: chest (pneumonia), brain (meningitis or encephalitis), abdomen (gall bladder), legs (cellulitis), viral infections (severe flu or COVID-19), bladder (urinary tract infection, UTI)
- Severe injury – e.g. RTA, work accident or assault
- Burns – severe
- Suspected fracture – fractured neck of femur is common in the elderly
- Suicide attempt – by taking something or self-harming.
Summary
We have described 20 red flag symptoms that require A&E care. If you have one of these, you may need to got to A&E. We hope it has been helpful.
