Joint Commission International - Quality Approval Certification of Excellence in Person Centered Care from Planetree International Carbono Neutralidad
Phone Laboratory results

Servicios Virtuales:

First aid in the event of loss of consciousness:

  • As a very important general norm, any unconscious person, you should reasonably assume that have suffered a major trauma and will always be considered and treated as if the lesion was in the spinal cord, controlling the head-neck-spine axis as a block.
  • We make sure that the other vital signs (breathing and pulse) are present, reestablishing any that might be absent (cardiac and/or pulmonary resuscitation).
  • Control of acute hemorrhages and treatment if existent.
  • Evaluate the rest of the lesions and maintain the victim’s body temperature.
  • If the victim has a pulse and is breathing, turn the victim’s head gently or place them in a recovery position, preventing asphyxiation due to tongue-blocking, vomit, mucus or secretions. Assuming spinal cord lesion, immediately place the victim in a recovery position, controlling the head-neck-spinal cord axis.
  • Periodically re-evaluate vital signs and transfer the victim to an appropriate health center.
  • AUTION: Although not a rule of thumb, in some occasions, as the victim recovers consciousness they may vomit. You must be cautious and avoid asphyxiation by simply turning their head to the said as mentioned previously.
In some cases, loss of consciousness due to head trauma may recover momentarily, however shortly after lead to vomiting, drowsiness and finally loss of consciousness entering a coma. Therefore anytime you encounter loss of consciousness even briefly, it is necessary to get a physician’s evaluation. 
You must never leave an unconscious person alone; you must monitor the victim’s breathing until they can be relocated to a health center where they usually must stay under observation.
However, as a complement of the norm, the following guidelines indicate what to do in more concrete loss of consciousness situations:

If the person feels dizzy:

  • Place them on their back (dorsal decubitus) and elevate their legs at a 45 degree angle.
  • Facilitate breathing by loosening clothing or objects that may be pressing against their neck, chest or waist.

If the person has already fainted (lipothymy):

  • Maintain permeability of the airway (assuring the airway is free of obstructions) and make sure they are breathing (hyperextension) and have a pulse.
  • Place them on their back and raise their legs to at no more than a 45 degree angle.
  • Loosen clothing or objects that may be pressing against neck, chest or waist.
  • Keep the victim on their back for a few minutes (they will gain consciousness right away).

In case of a coma:

  • Maintain permeability of the airway and make sure they are breathing and have a pulse.
  • Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if needed.
  • If the vital signs are constant, place the patient in a recovery position.
  • Avoid a temperature drop in the victim.
  • Monitor vital signs and seek urgent relocation to a health center.
Recovery position
Back