Presentation comparison

Emergency

Substance Intoxication

Significant intoxication can cause airway compromise, hyperthermia or trauma and needs immediate ABC and toxidrome assessment.

Safety snapshot

Emergency

Toxidrome clues: pupils, respiratory rate, nystagmus, tremor, diaphoresis, sympathetic overdrive.

Alcohol Cannabis Methamphetaminestimulant

2 of 8 diagnoses compared

Edit selection

CriteriaComparison detail	BenzodiazepinesEmergency

2 of 8 comparedEdit

Safety snapshot

Emergency

Toxidrome clues: pupils, respiratory rate, nystagmus, tremor, diaphoresis, sympathetic overdrive.

Alcohol Cannabis Methamphetamine

Selected differentials (2 of 8)

+6 not selected

Open a selected differential to review its clinical record.

Highest urgency

Based on current selection

Emergency

Benzodiazepines

Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.

Why it fits	Sedation, ataxia, slurred speech, disinhibition, amnesia	Pinpoint pupils, sedation, reduced respiratory rate, reduced consciousness	Slurred speech, ataxia, disinhibition, aggression, nystagmus	Conjunctival injection, slowed time perception, anxiety, paranoia, derealisation	Agitation, paranoia, pressured speech, insomnia, tachycardia, hypertension, dilated pupils	Visual distortion, synaesthesia, altered perception, panic	Rapid sedation, fluctuating consciousness, amnesia, sudden sleep	Euphoria, confusion, ataxia, nystagmus, perioral rash
What argues against	Applies to the whole presentationReview locally.
Must-not-miss	Respiratory depression if combined with opioids/alcohol.	Apnoea, aspiration, hypoxia, mixed overdose	Head injury, aspiration, hypoglycaemia, respiratory depression	Severe panic, paranoia, self-harm, psychosis	Hyperthermia
Bedside question	Applies to the whole presentationToxidrome clues: pupils, respiratory rate, nystagmus, tremor, diaphoresis, sympathetic overdrive.
Immediate action	Applies to the whole presentationDo not assume alcohol explains everything, especially after trauma Cannabis can produce anxiety, psychosis, and depersonalisation
Investigations	Applies to the whole presentationBlood glucose
Mimics / overlap	Applies to the whole presentationReview overlap locally.

Why it fits

Sedation, ataxia, slurred speech, disinhibition, amnesia

Pinpoint pupils, sedation, reduced respiratory rate, reduced consciousness

Slurred speech, ataxia, disinhibition, aggression, nystagmus

Conjunctival injection, slowed time perception, anxiety, paranoia, derealisation

Agitation, paranoia, pressured speech, insomnia, tachycardia, hypertension, dilated pupils

Visual distortion, synaesthesia, altered perception, panic

Rapid sedation, fluctuating consciousness, amnesia, sudden sleep

Euphoria, confusion, ataxia, nystagmus, perioral rash

What argues against

Applies to the whole presentationReview locally.

Must-not-miss

Respiratory depression if combined with opioids/alcohol.

Apnoea, aspiration, hypoxia, mixed overdose

Head injury, aspiration, hypoglycaemia, respiratory depression

Severe panic, paranoia, self-harm, psychosis

Hyperthermia

Bedside question

Applies to the whole presentationToxidrome clues: pupils, respiratory rate, nystagmus, tremor, diaphoresis, sympathetic overdrive.

Immediate action

Applies to the whole presentationDo not assume alcohol explains everything, especially after trauma Cannabis can produce anxiety, psychosis, and depersonalisation

Investigations

Applies to the whole presentationBlood glucose

Mimics / overlap

Applies to the whole presentationReview overlap locally.

Substance Intoxication

Safety snapshot

Safety snapshot

Selected differentials (2 of 8)

Highest urgency

Applies to the whole presentation, not to one diagnosis

What argues against

Bedside question

Immediate action

Investigations

Mimics / overlap

Why it fits

Must-not-miss

Why it fits

Must-not-miss

Review & handoff

Copy after review

Source status

Selected differentials (2 of 8)

Highest urgency

Review & handoff

Copy after review

Source status