Acute Medicine Frameworks
Clinical reasoning is about more than just recalling guidelines, it’s about having structured frameworks to fall back on when the situation is uncertain, stressful, or time-pressured.
These frameworks are designed for doctors on the frontline of acute care. They simplify complexity, reduce cognitive overload, and give you a clear roadmap when you need it most.
Clarity under pressure
Frameworks break down overwhelming presentations (like chest pain or sepsis) into manageable, systematic steps
Better decisions, fewer errors
By following a structured approach, you reduce missed diagnoses and premature closure
Practical and on-call ready
Every framework is built for real-world use on the wards, not just exam preparation
Contents
All Acute Medicine Frameworks
More coming soon…
01
Chest Pain: The 4-2-1 Rule
Quickly rule out the 4 cardiac, 2 respiratory, and 1 oesophageal cause you can’t afford to miss.
02
Dyspnoea: The 6 Ps
A systematic approach to breathlessness that ensures you cover the major cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic culprits.
03
Sepsis: IMADE Framework
Identify the source fast and act decisively — a structured guide for early recognition, escalation, and treatment.
04
Headache: MAD VITO + SNOOPP
Use pattern recognition and red flags to separate benign headaches from emergencies at first presentation.
05
GI Bleed: UVA MED +
NADIR
A practical checklist to localise and prioritise the causes of upper and lower GI bleeding.
06
Collapse / LOC: SSTOPP ME
An all-round framework to triage sudden collapse, ensuring you don’t miss life-threatening causes.