MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Acute

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Acute

Contents of this page:
Illustrations	Definition

Illustrations

Acute vs. chronic conditions

Ruptured intracranial aneurysm

Definition Return to top

Acute means sudden or severe. Symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. The opposite of chronic.

Update Date: 4/26/2003

Updated by: David Webner, M.D., Department of Family Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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