Browse categories and answer follow-up questions to refine your symptom profile.
Immediate safety and stabilization
Immediate priorities
Scene safety and staff safety
Security presence for violent behavior
Remove potential weapons and hazards
Medical instability screen
Airway compromise risk from sedation or restraints
Respiratory depression risk after benzodiazepines or opioids
Rapid vitals and monitoring
Heart rate
Blood pressure
Respiratory rate
Temperature
SpO2
Point of care glucose
Hypoglycaemia mimic of agitation or confusion
Hyperglycaemia with dehydration and delirium risk
If severe agitation with danger to self or others, immediate calming strategy
Verbal de escalation
Environmental control
If unsafe, medication for agitation
Calming environment
Low stimulation
Quiet room
Reduce crowding
Therapeutic stance
Non threatening posture
Simple choices and clear limits
Medication safety checkpoints
Sedation goals
Calm and cooperative
Awake or easily rousable
QT prolongation risk awareness
Prior long QT syndrome history
Antipsychotic dose stacking risk
Respiratory depression risk awareness
Co ingestion of alcohol or opioids
Obstructive sleep apnoea risk
Time critical red flags
Psychosis with fever and rigidity
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Serotonin toxicity
Psychosis with autonomic instability and agitation after stopping sedatives
Alcohol withdrawal
Benzodiazepine withdrawal
New focal neurologic deficit
Stroke
Intracranial haemorrhage
Head trauma
Intracranial injury
Severe headache with meningismus
Meningitis
Encephalitis
Key concepts
Core framing
Acute psychosis is a diagnosis of exclusion in the emergency setting
Primary psychotic disorder exacerbation
Substance induced psychosis
Medical or neurologic delirium
Stabilize then differentiate
Safety first
Then medical causes screen
Then psychiatric formulation
SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.