Cardiac Arrest Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Loss of consciousness
• No breathing
• No pulse

Prior to cardiac arrest, some patients report the following symptoms or warning signs in the weeks before the event:

• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Pounding in the chest
• Feeling faint

Diagnosis

The first person to respond to a cardiac arrest should check if the person is responsive. Shake the shoulders and ask, "Are you OK?" If there is no response, call 9-1-1. If there are other people around and you can perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), send someone to call 9-1-1 and turn your attention to the victim. Check if the person is breathing. Tilt the head back to open the airway. Put your cheek near the person's mouth and nose; look, listen, and feel for air movement. If no movement is detected, CPR should be started.