20 red flag symptoms that require A&E

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

1. 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
2. Shortness of breath – PE, asthma/COPD, arrhythmia or heart failure
3. Abdominal pain (new and severe) – pancreatitis, cholecystitis, perforated ulcer, appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy or obstructed bowel
4. Heavy bleeding – vomited or coughed up, or rectal or vaginal
5. Back pain (new and severe) – spinal cord compression or cauda equina syndrome
6. Weakness (one-sided) – stroke (CVA)
7. Facial drooping – stroke (CVA)
8. Difficulty speaking – stroke (CVA)
9. Confusion (new) – prescribing errors, infection, body chemistry disturbance (e.g. diabetes or AKI) and stroke
10. Collapse (and cannot get up) – low blood pressure (and its causes), stroke (CVA) and fractured neck of femur
11. Drowsiness – prescribing errors, infection, body chemistry disturbance (e.g. diabetes or AKI) and stroke
12. 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)
13. Seizure (that doesn’t stop) – if it goes on for more than 30 minutes this is called status epilepticus and needs treatment
14. Choking – foreign body stuck
15. Swelling – anaphylaxis
16. 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)
17. Severe injury – e.g. RTA, work accident or assault
18. Burns – severe
19. Suspected fracture – fractured neck of femur is common in the elderly
20. 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.