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Cardiac arrest - out of hospital care - Management
How do I assess someone with a suspected cardiac arrest?

  • Diagnose cardiac arrest if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
  • Ensure that it is safe to approach the person.
  • Check the person for a response — gently shake their shoulders and ask loudly, 'Are you all right?'
  • If there is no response, check whether breathing is normal.
    • Shout for help.
      • Ask anyone who comes to assist to dial 999 and ask for an ambulance, to fetch an automated external defibrillator if available, and then to come back to help.
    • Open the airway by turning the person onto their back, and:
      • Place your hand on the person's forehead and gently tilt their head back.
      • With your fingertips under the point of the person's chin, lift the chin to open the airway.
    • Check whether the person is breathing normally whilst keeping the airway open:
      • Look and feel for chest movement.
      • Listen at the person's mouth for breath sounds.
      • Put your face by their mouth, and feel for air on your cheek.
    • Look, listen, and feel for no more than 10 seconds to determine whether the person is breathing normally. If there is any doubt whether breathing is normal, act as if it is not normal.
      • Agonal gasps (infrequent, irregular breaths) are common in the first few minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest; they should not be considered to be normal breathing.
  • If there is no response and the person is not breathing normally:
    • Call an ambulance if one has not already been called.
      • Ask someone to call for one, or
      • If you are on your own, do this yourself; you may need to leave the person.
    • Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

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