Emergency Medicine
Warning Signs of a Medical Emergency
- Fainting
- Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
- Sudden dizziness, weakness or change in vision
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Suicidal or homicidal feelings
- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Bleeding that doesn’t stop readily
- Change in mental status (confusion, unusual behavior, seizure activity, difficulty arousing, etc.)
- Arm or leg weakness, numbness or tingling
- Sudden difficulty walking or speaking
When an Emergency Occurs…
- Call 911 for help. Speak calmly and clearly.
- Give name and address, phone number, location of victim, and nature of problem.
- Don’t hang up until the dispatcher has received all necessary information.