right upper quadrant abdominal pain
Last reviewed 03/2021
Differential diagnosis for patients presenting with right upper quadrant abdominal pain are:
- biliary pain - constant, nonparoxysmal pain which rapidly increases in intensity then plateaus, lasts four to six hours, occasionally radiates to the right subscapular area
- acute cholecystitis - longer lasting (more than six hours) biliary pain with tenderness, fever, and/or leukocytosis
- dyspepsia - bloating, nausea, belching, intolerance to fatty foods
- duodenal ulcer - pain two hours after meals, relieved by taking food or antacids
- hepatic abscess - pain associated with fever and chills; palpable liver and subcostal tenderness
- acute myocardial infarction - right upper quadrant or epigastrium discomfort; may be similar to biliary pain (1)
Other possible causes of right upper quadrant pain include:
- duodenal ulcer
- acute pancreatitis
- pneumonia
- subphrenic abscess
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