Acute care is the branch of health care concerned with the immediate assessment, stabilization, and short-term treatment of severe, sudden-onset, or rapidly deteriorating medical conditions. It is delivered in emergency departments, intensive and high-dependency units, and inpatient hospital wards, and spans emergen…
Acute care is the branch of health care concerned with the immediate assessment, stabilization, and short-term treatment of severe, sudden-onset, or rapidly deteriorating medical conditions. It is delivered in emergency departments, intensive and high-dependency units, and inpatient hospital wards, and spans emergency medicine, acute medical and surgical care, critical care, and trauma management. The objective is to address urgent physiological threats promptly, limit complications, and reduce mortality. Conditions managed in this setting include acute stroke, where early recognition and inpatient management influence survival and functional recovery; traumatic brain injury, where outcome depends on severity, timeliness of intervention, and associated factors; and acute fluid and electrolyte disturbances such as dehydration, which can be identified and corrected through assessment of hydration status and rehydration therapy. Care often relies on standardized indicators and protocols to monitor process quality and patient outcomes. Acute care also addresses the prevention and treatment of in-hospital complications and comorbidities that accompany serious illness, particularly in vulnerable groups such as older adults and children. Sub-areas include emergency triage, resuscitation, perioperative and post-injury care, and acute management of infectious and metabolic emergencies. It complements primary, chronic, and rehabilitative services within the wider health system.
5 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 5 articles above have been cited 6 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Acute Care, linking to each citing work.