Approach to a patient with abdominal pain2

Department of Family Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria; Department of Family Medicine, School of Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal; Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences

Abdominal pain is one of the most common complaints of patients admitted to emergency units, accounting for 5% – 10% of all presentations. Evaluation of the emergency department patient with acute abdominal pain may be difficult as several factors can obscure the clinical findings. Although most presentations of abdominal pain are benign, a significant number of patients have life-threatening conditions that require a meticulous approach to management. This document aims to provide a structured approach for primary care doctors in assessing and diagnosing abdominal pain.