{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "kind": "condition",
  "id": "dysphagia",
  "name": "Difficulty Swallowing (Dysphagia)",
  "category": "chronic",
  "sources": "Dysphagia - StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf NBK559174) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559174/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class DS21 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care",
  "review_status": "reviewed",
  "verified_against": "No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care · Difficulty Swallowing (Dysphagia) - disease-level clinical article (dysphagia-full.txt)",
  "verified_date": "2026-08",
  "treatments": [
    {
      "id": 624,
      "generic": "No drug therapy in primary care (Referral & Advice)",
      "line": 1,
      "is_adjunct": false,
      "form": null,
      "strength_mg": null,
      "adult_dose": "Difficulty swallowing is a red-flag symptom, especially when progressive, and needs referral for endoscopy to exclude oesophageal or gastric cancer; a GP may trial acid suppression for suspected reflux while arranging that referral.",
      "adult_duration": "Refer, with advice",
      "dose_source": "No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care",
      "rationale": "Difficulty swallowing is a red-flag symptom, especially when progressive, and needs referral for endoscopy to exclude oesophageal or gastric cancer; a GP may trial acid suppression for suspected reflux while arranging that referral.",
      "cautions": [
        "No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to.",
        "RED FLAG - There is a risk of aspiration, aspiration-induced pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration as major complications of dysphagia.",
        "RED FLAG - Progressive dysphagia, especially solids progressing to liquids, dysphagia with weight loss or pain on swallowing, or coughing or choking with swallowing which carries an aspiration risk: refer urgently for endoscopy."
      ],
      "peds_mgkg_low": null,
      "peds_mgkg_high": null,
      "peds_max_mg": null,
      "peds_basis": null,
      "peds_unit": null,
      "peds_note": "Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is implied.",
      "peds_min_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_max_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_age_min_months": null,
      "peds_age_max_months": null,
      "peds_age_bands": null,
      "peds_doses": null,
      "brands": [],
      "condition_id": "dysphagia"
    }
  ]
}