Acute: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

P Acute means sudden or severe. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.

T Images
- Acute vs. chronic conditions
- Ruptured intracranial aneurysm

T References
P Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Acute. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acute. Accessed January 22, 2017.

T Review Date 12/10/2016
P Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

