In the absence of third parties
- Alert the emergency services, preferably using your mobile phone. Switch it to hands-free mode and start CPR immediately whilst waiting for the emergency services to respond7;
- Perform CPR by repeating cycles of thirty chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths; If an AED is immediately nearby (within your field of vision, so as not to waste time starting CPR), use it as soon as possible, following its voice prompts whilst minimising interruptions to chest compressions;
- Continue CPR until the emergency services take over.
If the victim starts to wake up (moves, opens their eyes and is breathing normally):
- stop chest compressions and ventilation;
- carry out a life-threatening emergency assessment and ensure constant monitoring of consciousness and breathing whilst keeping the casualty on their back;
- be prepared to resume CPR due to the high risk of a recurrence of cardiac arrest.
If rescue breathing cannot be performed (due to the rescuer being pushed away, the person vomiting, etc.) or if it appears to be ineffective, the rescuer must immediately resume chest compressions.
A third are present
- call the emergency services and ask for an AED;
- perform CPR by repeating cycles of thirty chest compressions followed by two breaths; ensure that an AED is deployed or deploy it yourself as soon as possible and follow the instructions on the device;
- Continue CPR until the emergency services take over.
If the victim starts to wake up (moves, opens their eyes and is breathing normally):
- stop chest compressions and ventilation;
- carry out a life-threatening emergency assessment and ensure constant monitoring of consciousness and breathing whilst keeping the casualty on their back;
- be prepared to resume CPR due to the high risk of a recurrence of cardiac arrest.
If rescue breathing cannot be performed (e.g. the rescuer is repelled, the victim is vomiting, etc.) or if it appears to be ineffective, the rescuer must immediately resume chest compressions.
If there are several rescuers present, take turns with the rescuer performing chest compressions every 2 minutes, minimising any interruption to the compressions. If an AED is being used, the handover should take place whilst the device is analysing.