What to do when breathless is an emergency?
- 1562 Views
- Apollo Hospital Mumbai
- June 4, 2022
- Clinical Excellence Emergency Emergency
What to do when breathlessness is an emergency?
Most of the emergency calls are usually related to shortness of breath or dyspnea. It can occur due to an underlying medical condition or manifest due to other conditions such as strenuous activities like running or climbing stairs very fast. However, in such cases, breathing becomes normal after sometime and they doesn’t require any treatment.
When breathlessness is an emergency?
Shortness of breath can be a sign of medical emergency if it occurs due to an underlying medical problem.
- Asthma
- Heart attack
- Anaphylaxis or allergic reaction
- Respiratory or lung infections
Mild shortness of breath can become normal after resting for a few minutes. However, some people may experience the following symptoms:
- Blue lips or fingernails
- Chest pain
- Swelling of the face or tongue
- Palpitations
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Excessive drooling
Act fast if you experience breathlessness and above-mentioned symptoms. Visit a clinic near you or call 1066 immediately.
First-aid steps to be taken when breathlessness is an emergency:
- Call for help and ambulance right away.
- Check the person’s airway, breathing, and pulse
- Begin CPR if necessary
- Monitor the breathing until emergency care arrives
If the patient is responsive:
- Help the person to take any prescribed medicine, like using inhaler in cases of asthma or epinephrine shot in case of anaphylaxis
- Loosen the tight clothing
- Close or bandage the open wounds if any present
- Don’t give the person anything to eat or drink
- Don’t move the person if there is a neck or chest injury, unless necessary
- October 22, 2024
World Stroke Day: Raising Awareness and Saving Lives
- October 22, 2024
Robotic Surgery in Gynecology: A Revolution in Women’s Health
- October 22, 2024
Robotic Surgery in General Surgery
- October 22, 2024
Pediatric Neurosurgery: Complexities of Brain Tumors in Children
- October 22, 2024
LGBTQ+ and Cancer: Challenges and Support
- Bone Marrow Transplant3
- Cardiac sciences44
- Child Care7
- Clinical Excellence33
- Cosmetology2
- COVID-199
- Diseases4
- Emergency8
- Emergency10
- Endocrinology1
- ENT5
- Fetal Medicine1
- Gastroenterology6
- General Medicine9
- General Surgery3
- Genomic Medicine2
- Gynecology1
- Health14
- Hematology2
- Kidney Transplant5
- Kidney Transplant2
- Liver Transplant6
- Neonatology1
- Nephrology2
- Nephrology & transplant1
- Nephrology & Urology4
- Neurosciences1
- Neurosciences20
- Nutrition/Diet1
- Obstetrics & Gynecology9
- Obstetrics & Gynecology4
- Oncology92
- Oncology3
- Ophthalmology1
- Orthopedic13
- Patient Speak1
- Pediatric Surgery3
- physiotherapy2
- Psychologist2
- Pulmonology1
- Rheumatology1
- Robotic Suregry1
- Robotic Surgery11
- Spine1
- Uncategorized111
- Women Care5