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Medical Emergency at Home: What to Do Before Help Arrives

A sudden collapse, chest pain or breathlessness at home is frightening, and in those first minutes most families are unsure what to do. A little preparation helps you act calmly: recognise the warning signs, call for help early, and keep the information the medical team will need ready.

Signs That Need Emergency Help Straight Away

Call emergency services (112, or 102 / 108 for an ambulance) without waiting if someone has:

• Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, breathlessness or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
• Signs of a stroke: the face drooping on one side, weakness in an arm or leg, or slurred or confused speech
• Severe difficulty breathing, or bluish lips or face
• Unconsciousness, or the person cannot be woken properly
• A seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, is the person’s first seizure, or where they do not wake up between seizures
• Heavy bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure
• A sudden, severe headache, a severe allergic reaction (swelling of the face or throat), or suspected poisoning or overdose
• Sudden confusion, high fever with drowsiness or a serious fall, especially in an elderly person

With a stroke or heart attack, every minute counts. Note the time the symptoms started — doctors will ask for it.

What to Do While Help Is on the Way

• Stay calm and stay with the person. Follow the instructions the emergency operator gives you.
• If the person is unconscious but breathing normally, turn them on their side (the recovery position) so the airway stays clear. If a neck or back injury is possible, do not move them unless the airway is at risk.
• If they are not breathing normally, start CPR straight away: push hard and fast in the centre of the chest, about 100–120 times a minute, until help arrives. Hands-only CPR does not need training; follow the operator’s guidance if given.
• During a seizure, move hard objects away and cushion the head. Do not hold the person down and do not put anything in their mouth. Turn them on their side once it stops.
• Do not give food or drink. The patient’s own emergency medicine (for example an asthma inhaler or angina spray) can be used as their doctor has instructed; give any other medicine, such as aspirin for a suspected heart attack, only if a doctor or the operator advises.
• Press firmly on a bleeding wound with a clean cloth.
• Unlock the door and keep the way clear for the medical team.

Keep This Information Ready

Doctors can decide faster when they know the patient’s history. Keep a folder or a phone note with:

• A list of current medicines and doses
• Allergies and known medical conditions
• Recent reports, discharge summaries and prescriptions
• The usual doctor’s name and number, and any health insurance details

When Care at Home Is Enough — and When It Is Not

Some situations can be managed safely at home with a doctor’s visit, nursing or equipment such as oxygen. Others — a heart attack, a stroke, severe breathing difficulty or major injury — need a hospital. A doctor should make that decision after examining the patient; when in doubt, go to hospital.

In Delhi NCR, OSVI Healthcare’s 24×7 emergency care at home (call 9090-1919-54) can send a doctor, set up ICU care at home, arrange nurses and an ambulance at the earliest, and coordinate a hospital admission when it is needed.

In an emergency, call 112 (or 102 / 108 for an ambulance) — do not wait for a reply to a form.

This article is provided for general information and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every patient’s situation is different — please consult a qualified doctor for guidance specific to you. In a medical emergency, seek immediate medical attention.