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Presentation comparison
UrgentCovers disorganisation arising from psychiatric, substance-related, neurological, developmental, or medical causes.
3 of 7 diagnoses compared
| CriteriaComparison detail | SchizophreniaUrgent |
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Formal thought disorder plus broader psychotic syndrome and functional deterioration.
Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.
| Substance intoxicationEmergency |
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| ManiaUrgentNot selected |
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| Temporal lobe epilepsyUrgentNot selected |
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| AutismUrgentNot selected |
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| Personality crisisUrgentNot selected |
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| Why it fits | Loose associations, derailment, bizarre behaviour, poor hygiene, chronic decline | Rambling, incoherent, tangential speech in acutely unwell patient | Slurred, tangential, incoherent, overinclusive speech after drugs/alcohol | Pressured speech, flight of ideas, distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsive behaviour | Intermittent circumstantiality, stereotyped episodes, aphasic disturbance | Literal answers, topic perseveration, concrete speech, unusual prosody | Chaotic behaviour, fragmented narrative, shutdown, improves with containment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What argues against | Applies to the whole presentationReview locally. | ||||||
| Must-not-miss | Severe neglect, vulnerability, command phenomena, catatonia | Sepsis, stroke, withdrawal, medication toxicity | Respiratory depression, chest pain, hyperthermia, trauma | Exhaustion, mixed state, violence | |||
| Bedside question | Applies to the whole presentationFormal thought disorder plus broader psychotic syndrome and functional deterioration. | ||||||
| Immediate action | Applies to the whole presentationStabilise and reassess. | ||||||
| Investigations | Applies to the whole presentationGuided by presentation. | ||||||
| Mimics / overlap | Applies to the whole presentationReview overlap locally. | ||||||
Scroll horizontally to review more candidate differentials. Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.
Review locally.
Formal thought disorder plus broader psychotic syndrome and functional deterioration.
Stabilise and reassess.
Guided by presentation.
Review overlap locally.
Loose associations, derailment, bizarre behaviour, poor hygiene, chronic decline
Severe neglect, vulnerability, command phenomena, catatonia
Rambling, incoherent, tangential speech in acutely unwell patient
Sepsis, stroke, withdrawal
Slurred, tangential, incoherent, overinclusive speech after drugs/alcohol
Respiratory depression, chest pain,
Safety first. Act early.
Create a concise comparison summary for documentation or handoff.
Source pending review
v10 | Local content only
Last updated: Pending review
Open a selected differential to review its clinical record.
Based on current selection
Create a concise comparison summary for documentation or handoff.
Source pending review
v10 | Local content only
Last updated: Pending review
| Seizures, injury, missed focal lesion |
| Diagnostic overshadowing, missed psychosis superimposed on baseline |
| Self-harm, aggression, severe dissociation |