Browse categories and answer follow-up questions to refine your symptom profile.
Immediate priorities
Airway and resuscitation priorities
High risk upper airway obstruction
Immediate airway team activation for stridor or drooling or tripod or voice change
If significant distress, resuscitation bay and continuous observation
Oxygenation and ventilation support
Supplemental oxygen to maintain SpO2 per local targets
Bag mask ventilation readiness with 2 person technique
Positioning and agitation minimization
Upright position of comfort
Avoid forced supine positioning
Monitoring and access
Continuous pulse oximetry and ECG
Two large bore IV lines if tolerated
Airway strategy
Controlled airway plan
Primary plan
Awake airway approach when feasible
Fiberoptic intubation option when expertise available
Backup plans
Video laryngoscopy readiness with smaller tubes
Supraglottic airway as rescue bridge only
Surgical airway readiness
If cannot intubate and cannot oxygenate, immediate cricothyrotomy
ENT for tracheostomy consideration when time allows
Hemodynamic and sepsis considerations
Shock and sepsis framework
Septic physiology triggers
Hypotension or altered mental status or lactate elevation
Early antimicrobials and fluids
Initiate antibiotics immediately after airway stabilization priority
If hypotension, crystalloid bolus per sepsis protocols
PITFALLS
Common failure modes
Delays from imaging or throat examination attempts
If unstable airway, defer CT and defer throat manipulation
Under-triage in adults
Severe odynophagia with minimal oropharyngeal findings as high risk pattern
SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.