Jake Merkel

A 43-year-old man presents to the emergency department with severe upper abdominal pain radiating to his back, with nausea and vomiting. Focus on formulating a diagnosis, considering differentials, and assessing severity.

1. 1Formulate a working diagnosis based on the clinical presentation
2. 2Identify and discuss relevant differential diagnoses
3. 3Synthesise clinical and investigative evidence
4. 4Assess the severity of the condition using recognised criteria
5. 5Justify your investigative reasoning