What term best describes patients whose health status is expected to fluctuate or deteriorate?

The term that accurately describes patients whose health status is expected to fluctuate or deteriorate is "unstable patients." This designation is commonly used in clinical settings to indicate that a patient’s condition is not predictable and can change rapidly, requiring careful monitoring and possible intervention.

Unstable patients might be experiencing acute illnesses, critical conditions, or exacerbations of chronic illnesses, which necessitate an ongoing assessment of their symptoms and vital signs. This is in contrast to stable patients, who have a consistent health status and do not require the same level of observation. Chronic patients, while they may have ongoing health issues that require management, often maintain a baseline that does not fluctuate as dramatically as those classified as unstable. Rehabilitating patients are typically engaged in recovery and may indeed be improving, which again differentiates them from those whose conditions are in a state of flux or deterioration.