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Medicine vocabulary · Symptoms and Signs

Red flag

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˌred ˈflæɡ/nounCommon term

In medicine, red flag means: A symptom or sign that suggests a serious cause, such as cancer or a spinal problem, and needs urgent attention or tests.

In Turkish: alarm bulgusu, kırmızı bayrak, uyarı işareti

How it is used

Widely used in guidelines and teaching: red flags for back pain, headache or cancer. Doctors 'screen for' or 'ask about' red flags and write 'no red flags' in the notes.

Example sentences

  1. Weight loss and night sweats are red flags, so we should investigate further.

  2. No red flag symptoms; likely simple mechanical back pain.

Common collocations

  • red flag symptoms
  • screen for red flags
  • no red flags
  • red flags for
  • symptomSomething a patient feels and reports, such as pain, tiredness or nausea, that may show they have an illness. Doctors learn about it by asking, not by measuring.
  • signEvidence of disease that a doctor can see, feel, hear or measure, such as a rash, a heart murmur or a high temperature, rather than something the patient reports.
  • differential diagnosisA list of the possible diseases that could explain a patient's symptoms and signs, which the doctor narrows down with tests and more questions.
  • investigationA test or examination, such as a blood test or a scan, done to find the cause of a patient's problem or to check their condition.

More terms: Symptoms and Signs

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.