Cardiac surgeon outlines first steps when someone collapses at home

A person who collapses may be in cardiac arrest, when the heart stops pumping blood effectively.

Cardiac surgeon Santosh Gupta says to check for a response and normal breathing, then call an ambulance if the person is unresponsive and breathing is absent or limited to gasps.

While one person calls, another can start chest compressions, and someone else can guide paramedics to the home and look for an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

For hands-only CPR, lay the person on a firm surface and press the centre of the chest hard and fast, letting the chest rise between pushes.

An AED gives voice instructions and delivers a shock only if it detects that one is needed.

If someone is conscious but has chest pain, sweating or breathlessness, Gupta advises keeping them still and calling an ambulance.

He says brief CPR training and keeping emergency contacts and the address of a nearby hospital with cardiac facilities visible can help households prepare.