Browse categories and answer follow-up questions to refine your symptom profile.
Immediate priorities
Initial stabilization
Airway compromise
If impending airway failure, RSI
If facial trauma, anticipated difficult airway
Breathing failure
If SpO2 < 90% on supplemental oxygen, NIV
If worsening hypercapnia, intubation
Circulatory instability
If SBP < 90 mmHg, hemorrhage evaluation
If suspected tension pneumothorax, immediate decompression
Pain driven hypoventilation
Rapid multimodal analgesia
Early regional anesthesia pathway
Threats and triggers
Immediate life threats to exclude
Pneumothorax
Unilateral decreased breath sounds
Pleuritic chest pain
Hemothorax
Shock with unilateral decreased breath sounds
Dullness to percussion
Pulmonary contusion
Hypoxemia out of proportion to exam
Worsening oxygenation over 6 to 24 hours
Flail chest
Multiple adjacent segmental fractures
Respiratory distress
Blunt cardiac injury
Unexplained hypotension
Arrhythmia
Monitoring and early actions
Monitoring bundle
Continuous pulse oximetry
Target SpO2 92% to 96%
Cardiac monitor
If syncope or suspected blunt cardiac injury
Serial respiratory assessment
Respiratory rate trends
Work of breathing trends
Incentive spirometry pathway
Initial inspiratory volume baseline
Repeat after analgesia escalation
SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.