What are the key diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis in a primary care setting?

Key diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis in primary care include:

• Sudden onset of upper abdominal pain, typically epigastric, often severe and persistent.
• Associated symptoms such as nausea and vomiting are common.
• Physical signs may include epigastric tenderness, fever, and tachycardia.
• Confirmation of diagnosis is primarily by raised blood levels of pancreatic enzymes, specifically lipase or amylase.
• If enzyme levels are not elevated but clinical suspicion remains high, abdominal imaging such as CT scan may be used to confirm pancreatic inflammation.
• Do not delay emergency hospital admission for suspected acute pancreatitis by arranging blood tests or imaging in primary care; immediate specialist assessment is required.

These criteria help identify suspected acute pancreatitis promptly to ensure urgent referral and management.