View source for Acute (medicine)

{{mergefrom|Acute medicine|date=June 2009}}

{{Wiktionary|acute}}
In [[medicine]], an '''acute''' disease is a disease with either or both of:
# a rapid onset, as in [[acute infection]]
# a short course (as opposed to a [[Chronic (medicine)|chronic]] course).

This adjective is part of the definition of several diseases and is, therefore, incorporated in their name, for instance, [[severe acute respiratory syndrome]], acute [[leukemia]].

The term acute may often be confused by the general public to mean 'severe'. This however, is a different characteristic and something can be acute but not severe.

Acute hospitals are those intended for short-term medical and/or surgical treatment and care. The related [[medical speciality]] is called [[acute medicine]]. 

'''Subacute''' is defined as between acute and chronic, for example subacute fever symptoms or subacute [[endocarditis]].
An example is [[subacute sclerosing panencephalitis]], a rare brain disease characterized by diminished intellectual function and loss of nervous function.

Chronic is the opposite of acute - meaning a long term condition, for example [[chronic bronchitis]]. Chronic may also be confused by the general public to mean severe. Once again, this is a different definition medically and something can be chronic but not severe.

Acute Medicine is defined as the early and specialist management of adult patients suffering from a wide range of medical conditions requiring urgent or emergency care usually within 48 hours of admission or referral from other specialties.

==See also==
*[[Idiopathic]]
*[[Chronic pain]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Acute (Medicine)}}
[[Category:Medical terms]]


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