Last reviewed
2026-02-07
Workflow pack
Dizziness/vertigo triage workflow
Structured dizziness workflow prioritizing stroke/cardiac exclusion and safe outpatient follow-up boundaries.
Trust and governance
Use only within this workflow's defined scope and exclusions.
Clinical owner
Family Medicine Editorial Team
Risk tier
Medium
Review cadence
Every 6 months
Next due 2026-08-07
Review status
Current
Scope limits
Initial outpatient dizziness and vertigo triage with risk-based disposition.
Exclusions (escalate/redirect)
- Acute focal neurologic deficits or severe gait instability requiring emergency evaluation.
- Active hemodynamic instability or ongoing syncope pathway care.
References
Escalate-now emphasis (medium-risk workflow)
Treat red-flag findings as urgent. Escalate the care pathway early if concern persists or follow-up reliability is uncertain.
At a glance
Rapid decision framing for in-visit use. Educational only; always apply clinical judgment.
Immediate actions
- Classify dizziness phenotype and assess for central neurologic warning signs.
- Evaluate orthostatic status, hydration, and medication contributors.
- Determine if symptom severity permits safe outpatient pathway.
Red flags / escalate now
- New focal neurologic findings, severe ataxia, or inability to ambulate safely.
- Syncope, chest pain, or unstable cardiopulmonary symptoms.
- Worsening trajectory with unreliable follow-up capacity.
First-line plan
- Address reversible contributors such as dehydration and medication effects.
- Use focused workup strategy based on dominant risk pattern.
- Provide explicit plan for reassessment if diagnosis remains provisional.
Follow-up and monitoring
- Arrange close follow-up for persistent or recurrent episodes.
- Escalate promptly for progression toward neurologic or cardiac instability.
- Reinforce return precautions for stroke-like symptoms or collapse.
Next useful actions
Keep moving without restarting the search.
These are the most likely next clicks after opening this workflow.
Condition guidance
Referral checklists
Tools and calculators
Return precautions (patient script)
Suggested plain-language wording for safety-net counseling:
If symptoms get worse, new warning signs appear, or you cannot follow the plan from this visit, seek urgent care now.
- Use with the specific red flags listed on this page.
- Confirm follow-up timing and where to go after-hours.
- Document that return precautions were reviewed and understood.
Visit-close checklist
- Document disposition, rationale, and unresolved diagnostic uncertainty.
- Give explicit return precautions and follow-up timeline before ending visit.
- Attach a relevant handout when available to reinforce adherence and safety-netting.