What to Do When Someone Collapses
If someone collapses in your presence, there could be a range of causes, and you need to act quickly as it could be a medical emergency. In many cases, the person may simply have fainted, which is caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain. Generally, fainting is quickly recovered from, with the casualty regaining consciousness and coming around within a few minutes. However, there could be other more serious causes for the collapse that need to be recognised and responded to to ensure the casualty’s safety.
Some of the most common reasons for someone to suddenly collapse, as well as fainting, include sudden cardiac arrest, a heart attack, a stroke, or a seizure. In this article, we’ll cover what to do when someone collapses so you can be confident in responding to these kinds of medical emergencies.
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What to Do When Someone Faints
There are several warning signs to look out for before someone faints, including:
- Going pale
- Feeling cold and clammy
- Feeling dizzy and lightheaded
- Feeling nauseous
- Getting a headache
- Feeling weak
If someone is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, they may be likely to faint, so try to ease them gently to the ground to prevent or cushion the fall before they lose consciousness.
What to do:
- Check that they are still breathing
- Check for a pulse
If someone faints but is still breathing and has a pulse, ensure that their airway is clear. If you can, lay them on their back and raise their legs above the level of their head. Check for any serious injuries they may have suffered due to their fall that may require medical attention (look out for head injuries in particular). In most cases, they should come around within a few minutes. When they regain consciousness, ask them to lie down or sit with their head between their knees for 10-15 minutes until symptoms pass and they have fully recovered.
If someone has collapsed and lost consciousness and there is no pulse and they are not breathing, they haven’t simply fainted, and more serious action needs to be taken. Keep reading to find out what to do.
What to Do When Someone Goes Into Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest is a serious medical condition that requires a rapid response. When someone goes into cardiac arrest, their heart is not beating correctly, meaning they will have no pulse and their heart is not pumping oxygenated blood to their vital organs. Within just three minutes, a cardiac arrest victim is at risk of brain damage and after ten minutes, survival is unlikely without the intervention of quality CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED).
What to do:
If you are with someone or have found someone who has collapsed, perform an initial survey.
- Check for a response
- Open their airway
- Look for normal breathing
- Check for a pulse and signs of life
If they are unresponsive, don’t have a pulse, and aren’t breathing normally:
- Call for help
- Ask a helper to call 999 and ask for an ambulance
- Start CPR
- Ask a helper to find and bring an AED. The emergency services personnel on the phone may be able to tell them where the nearest one is located.
Important note: If you’re on your own, use the hands-free speaker option on your phone to dial 999 to ask for an ambulance while you start CPR. Don’t leave the casualty to look for an AED yourself; the ambulance will bring one.
When an AED is available:
- Ask a helper to switch it on and take out the pads while you continue to perform CPR.
- Remove or cut through clothing to ensure the casualty’s chest is bare, wiping away any sweat.
- The AED will have clear instructions and give audio prompts on what to do.
- Remove the pads' backing paper and attach them to the casualty’s chest, applying them in the positions shown.
- The AED will need to analyse the casualty’s heart rhythm. Stop performing CPR and ensure no one is touching the casualty while the AED performs an analysis.
- The AED will then give a series of visual and audio prompts for you to follow.
- If a shock is needed, ensure that everyone stands back. The AED will tell you when to press the shock button if required. It will then prompt you to continue with CPR and rescue breaths for two minutes before it re-analyses. If the AED determines that no shock is required, continue with CPR and rescue breaths until the next analysis.
- Continue to follow the AED’s instructions until the emergency services arrive.
If the casualty shows signs of becoming responsive, such as:
- Opening their eyes
- Coughing
- Speaking
- Starting to breathe normally
Put them in the recovery position and seek medical attention. Leave the AED attached to them. Keep monitoring the casualty and their level of response, and be prepared to provide CPR again if required.
If you’d like to learn more about how to use a defibrillator and the many benefits of having an AED close by, check out these articles on our Knowledge Base:
- What Are The Chances of Survival When Using a Defibrillator?
- When to Use a Defibrillator
- How to Use an AED: Steps to Follow at the Critical Moment
- Safety During Defibrillation with an AED
- Where is my Nearest Defibrillator? Find a Defibrillator Near You
- How Does a Defibrillator Work?
- Defibrillator Position and Placement: How to Get it Right
- Kneel next to the casualty and place the heel of your hand in the centre of their chest.
- Put your other hand on top and interlock your fingers (making sure that they don’t touch the ribs).
- Lean over the casualty, keeping your arms locked straight.
- Press down hard by 4-6 cm depth, then allow the chest to come back up.
- Continue pushing at this depth at a rate of 100-120 per minute (the ambulance service on the phone will help you keep at the right rate).
- After 30 chest compressions, give two rescue breaths (use a resusciade face shield if available to prevent cross contamination) - place one hand on the forehead and the fingers of the other hand on the tip of the chin, pinch the casualty’s nose which will allow their mouth to fall open. Take a breath and place your lips around the casualty’s mouth to form a seal; blow into their mouth until their chest rises.
- Then, repeat 30 chest compressions at the same rate of 100-120 per minute, followed by two rescue breaths.
- Continue CPR until:
-The emergency services arrive to take over
-The casualty starts to breathe normally and shows signs of recovery
-An AED is ready to use
Sudden cardiac arrest can prove fatal within a matter of minutes without effective CPR and defibrillation with an AED. Having an AED located close by could help save lives, so many businesses and public premises are having them installed to keep their staff, visitors, and members of the public safe in the event of a cardiac emergency.
You can learn more about installing AEDs in your business on our blog:
- Different Types of AED: How to Choose the Best Defibrillator for Your Needs
- Workplace Defibrillators: Everything You Need to Know
- Choosing the Right ZOLL Defibrillator
- Your ZOLL AED: Installation and Training
- A Complete Guide to ZOLL AEDs for Business Owners
Steroplast stocks a range of defibrillators from leading AED brands, including iPAD, ZOLL, and Schiller. These AEDs are designed to guide responders, even those without training, through the cardiac rescue process and provide safe defibrillation and CPR to someone who has collapsed due to sudden cardiac arrest.
ZOLL defibrillators, like the ZOLL AED Plus Lay Responder and ZOLL AED 3 Defibrillator have the added feature of Real CPR Help technology, which provides real-time feedback to rescuers on the rate and depth of the chest compressions they are giving, guiding them to perform the best CPR possible to improve the chances of the casualty’s survival.
Installing an AED on your premises will not be an investment you’ll regret when an emergency strikes.
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What to Do When Someone Is Having a Heart Attack
When someone is having a heart attack, they may collapse, or they may be stood or sat down. A heart attack happens when the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot. It is a serious medical emergency that requires professional medical attention as soon as possible.
There are several signs and symptoms of a heart attack to look out for:
- A persistent, crushing pain across a person’s chest that may spread to their arms, neck, back, and jaw.
- Shortness of breath
- Profuse sweating
- Coughing or wheezing
- Pale skin and a blueness to their lips
- Stomach pain similar to indigestion
- Nausea
- Collapse without warning
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
What to do:
If you suspect someone is suffering a heart attack, the first thing you should do is call 999 and ask for an ambulance. After this:
- Move the casualty into a comfortable position, seated on the floor with their back supported and knees bent. Ideally put cushions or rolled up clothing under their knees for additional support.
- Give them an aspirin tablet (no more than 300mg) and ask them to chew on it slowly. Do not give them aspirin if they are allergic or younger than 16 years old.
- If the casualty has angina medication, help them take some.
- Keep monitoring the casualty’s breathing and response levels, and continue to reassure them until the emergency services arrive.
- If the casualty collapses, loses consciousness and stops breathing, begin CPR.
Ensure that anyone who you suspect has had a heart attack is seen by medical professionals as soon as possible, even if they seem to have recovered. They are at risk of suffering another attack without appropriate follow-up care.
What to Do When Someone is Having a Stroke
Strokes happen when the blood supply to the brain is blocked. Strokes are serious medical emergencies that require professional medical attention as soon as possible. When someone is having a stroke, it may cause them to collapse and become unresponsive, though this is not always the case. The NHS recommends that the FAST guide is used to determine if someone is having a stroke:
After this, there isn’t much you can do to treat a stroke in terms of first aid, but keep the casualty comfortable and reassure them until the emergency services arrive.
Simplify Workplace First Aid
Interactive Online Guide & Downloadable Brochure
Simplify Workplace First Aid
Interactive Online Guide & Downloadable Brochure
Choose the format that works for you: check out our Workplace First Aid Interactive Online Guide or download our Workplace First Aid Brochure as an easy-to-save PDF. Both include a self-assessment, product details, pricing, and comprehensive training and support.
What to Do When Someone Is Having a Seizure
Seizures are caused by disturbances to the brain’s electrical activity. They are most commonly caused by epilepsy and are not always a medical emergency. If you see someone collapse and fall to the floor making sudden jerking movement, it’s likely they are having a seizure. Do not panic, try to stay calm.
What to do:
- Cushion their head with a cushion, blanket or some rolled-up clothing to prevent them from
- injuring themselves
- Make the area around them safe, moving any sharp or dangerous objects away
- Do not try to restrain them
- Do not try to move them unless they are somewhere dangerous, like a busy road or near a hot stove
- Time how long the seizure lasts (use your phone if possible)
- Loosen any tight clothing around their neck, such as a tie or collar
- Once the convulsions stop, put them in the recovery position and ensure their airway is clear
- Stay with them and talk to them until they recover fully
When to call 999:
Not everyone who experiences seizures will require an ambulance. However, in the following cases, a seizure is considered a medical emergency, and you should call 999:
- If the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes
- If the casualty goes straight into another seizure after the first one has stopped
- If you know that it is their first seizure
- If you don’t know the cause of the seizure
- If they have seriously hurt themselves
Being prepared and knowledgeable is crucial when someone collapses
If someone collapses, it could be a medical emergency and every second counts. Knowing the right steps to take could make the difference between life and death. We’ve covered what to do if someone faints, suffers sudden cardiac arrest, has a heart attack, a stroke, or has a seizure so you can be prepared for a range of eventualities and respond appropriately to keep yourself and others safe.
When someone collapses, the immediate reaction of those present can significantly influence the outcome. For less severe cases such as fainting, simple manoeuvres like elevating the legs and ensuring the person is in a safe position can allow for a quick recovery. More severe situations like cardiac arrests or heart attacks require swift and decisive actions, including the administration of CPR and the use of an AED. The availability of an AED on site, coupled with the knowledge of how to use it, drastically improves the survival rates in cases of cardiac arrest. Hence, installing these defibrillators in workplaces and public spaces is not just a precaution; it's a vital asset in community safety.
Recognising the signs of a stroke quickly and responding appropriately can prevent long-term disabilities while understanding how to manage a seizure can protect an individual from harm during an episode. The guidance we’ve provided here will help you to act with confidence if someone collapses, ensuring you can calmly provide the best possible care until the emergency services arrive to take over.
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