Skip to content

Acute Quote by Hippocrates

“In acute diseases it is not quite safe to prognosticate either death or recovery.” quote by Hippocrates
Download Open image
““In acute diseases it is not quite safe to prognosticate either death or recovery.””

Hippocrates

About This Quote

In serious illnesses, predicting exact outcomes—whether death or recovery—is highly uncertain.

In simple terms: Prognoses are unreliable for acute diseases.

Key Takeaway

Accept uncertainty in medical predictions.

Themes

medicine uncertainty diagnosis ethics patient care

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

clinical ethical commentary

When to use this quote

  • emergency treatment
  • patient counseling
  • clinical decision making
  • research studies

Key Concepts

probability risk assessment clinical judgment

Questions to Reflect On

  • How should doctors communicate uncertainty?
  • What ethical duties arise when outcomes are unpredictable?
A Different Perspective

Overconfidence in predictions can mislead patients.

2.5 out of 5 (3 ratings)

More by Hippocrates

Explore all 177 Hippocrates quotes

More Acute quotes

Browse all 35 Acute quotes