Symptoms become triage maps, not simple alphabetical links.
Use symptom pathways to move from red flags and unstable physiology into dangerous differentials, first tests, and the best linked MedVellum topics.
Symptom pages put emergencies first: cannot-miss diagnoses, escalation triggers, and first-pass investigations appear before long differential lists.
Symptom pages do not replace clinical judgement. Use them to structure your first-pass differential, identify dangerous diagnoses, and then move into the linked topic pages, tools, and specialty hubs.
High-stakes acute presentations
Start here for common emergency-department symptom searches and red-flag first passes.
Chest Pain
Start a chest pain differential on MedVellum with emergency red flags, common life-threatening causes, and linked topic pathways.
Shortness of Breath
Use this symptom hub for dyspnoea red flags, major emergency causes, and linked MedVellum topics for respiratory and cardiac workups.
Abdominal Pain
A symptom-led entry for acute abdominal pain, emergency causes, and linked MedVellum topics covering common surgical and medical differentials.
Acute Headache
Use this symptom page to prioritize dangerous headache differentials, identify red flags, and jump into linked MedVellum neurology topics.
Syncope
A symptom-led MedVellum page for syncope risk stratification, dangerous cardiac causes, and linked evaluation pathways.
Acute Vertigo
A MedVellum symptom page for acute vertigo, red flags for posterior circulation stroke, and linked vestibular differentials.
Common ward and clinic symptom searches
Broad search-entry pages for recurring inpatient, outpatient, and exam-style symptom questions.
Cough
Acute infective causes, red flags, and when to suspect serious respiratory pathology.
Back pain
Mechanical pain, cauda equina syndrome, infection, fracture, and malignancy clues.
Palpitations
AF, SVT, ectopy, thyroid disease, and ambulatory monitoring pathways.
Fever
Sepsis, fever with rash, neutropenic sepsis, and workup structure.
Leg swelling
DVT, heart failure, cellulitis, lymphoedema, and chronic venous disease.
Rash
Drug eruptions, infectious rashes, vasculitis, and dermatology emergencies.
Revision shortcuts by symptom pattern
Use symptom-led entry points to jump into high-yield differentials and management pages faster.
Atrial fibrillation / irregular pulse
Approach rapid AF, anticoagulation, and rhythm versus rate-control decisions.
COPD / wheeze
Exacerbation triggers, oxygen targets, NIV considerations, and discharge planning.
Depression
Diagnostic framing, risk assessment, and first-line treatment structure.
Anxiety
Generalised anxiety disorder, panic symptoms, and functional impairment patterns.
Herpes zoster / shingles pain
Recognize zoster early, manage pain, and know who needs antiviral treatment.
Dyslipidaemia
Primary prevention, secondary prevention, and lipid-lowering treatment pathways.