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Gestire un adulto che non risponde

This leaflet is created from first aid advice provided by St John Ambulance, the nation's leading first aid charity.

If someone becomes unresponsive they need someone to help keep them safe and prevent further harm. The type of help they need varies depending on why they have become unresponsive, whether they are breathing or non respirano and if they are baby, child or adult.

A colpo d'occhio

  • An unresponsive person needs immediate attention.

  • If they are breathing, open their airway by tilting their head and lifting their chin.

  • Place them in the recovery position to keep their airway open.

  • Call 999 or 112 once they are in the recovery position.

  • If a spinal injury is suspected, use the jaw thrust technique to avoid neck movement.

  • If they are not breathing, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

  • CPR involves alternating chest compressions and rescue breaths.

This leaflet is designed to give a summary of general advice. This advice is no substitute for first aid training (see 'Further Reading' below to find out more about St John Ambulance and British Red Cross training courses).

If someone is unresponsive and breathing

Cosa cercare

If someone is not responding to you and you think they are unresponsive, ask loudly: 'Are you alright?' or 'Open your eyes'. If they don't respond, pinch their earlobe or gently shake their shoulders. If they still don't respond, then you can presume they're unresponsive.

Cosa devi fare

Step 1 of 5: Open the airway

  • Place one hand on the person's forehead and gently tilt their head back. As you do this, the mouth will fall open slightly.

  • Place the fingertips of your other hand on the point of the person's chin and lift the chin.

Apri le vie aeree

Apri le vie aeree adulto

Step 2 of 5: Check breathing

  • Guarda, ascolta e senti la respirazione normale - movimento del petto, suoni e respiri sulla tua guancia. Fai questo per non più di dieci secondi.

Controlla la respirazione

Controlla la respirazione dell'adulto

Step 3 of 5: Put them in the recovery position

  • This will keep their airway open.

  • Kneel down next to them on the floor.

  • The next three steps are for if you find the person lying on their back. If you find them lying on their side or their front you may not need all three.

  1. Place their arm nearest you at a right angle to their body, with their palm facing upwards.

  2. Prendi il loro altro braccio e posizionalo sul petto in modo che il dorso della mano sia contro la guancia più vicina a te, e tienilo lì. Con l'altra mano, solleva il loro ginocchio lontano e tiralo su fino a quando il piede è piatto sul pavimento.

  3. Now you're ready to roll them on to their side. Carefully pull on their bent knee and roll them towards you. Once you've done this, the top arm should be supporting the head and the bent leg should be on the floor to stop them from rolling over too far.

Posizione di recupero

Posizione di recupero per adulti

Step 4 of 5: If you suspect spinal injury

  • If you think the person could have a spinal injury, you must keep their neck as still as possible. Instead of tilting their neck, use the jaw thrust technique: place your hands on either side of their face and with your fingertips gently lift the jaw to open the airway, avoiding any movement of their neck.

Sospetta lesione spinale

Sospetta lesione spinale adulto

Step 5 of 5: Call for help

  • Once you've put them safely into the recovery position, call 999 or 112 for medical help.

  • Until help arrives, keep checking the person's breathing.

  • If they stop breathing at any point, call 999 or 112 straightaway and get ready to give them CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation - a combination of chest pressure and rescue breaths).

If someone is unresponsive and not breathing

If an adult is unresponsive and not breathing, you'll need to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

CPR involves giving someone a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths to keep their heart and circulation going to try to save their life. If they start breathing normally again, stop CPR and put them in the recovery position.

Cosa devi fare

If someone is with you, get them to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and ask them to get an automated external defibrillator (AED) if one is available.

How to perform CPR on an adult

Step 1: Giving chest compressions

  • Kneel down beside the person on the floor, level with their chest.

  • Place the heel of one hand towards the end of their breastbone, in the centre of their chest.

CPR finger position adult

CPR finger position adult

CPR adult

CPR adult
  • Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand and interlock your fingers, making sure you keep the fingers off the ribs.

  • Lean over the person, with your arms straight, pressing down vertically on the breastbone, and press the chest down by 5-6 cm (2-2½ in).

  • Release the pressure without removing your hands from their chest. Allow the chest to come back up fully - this is one compression.

  • Repeat 30 times, at a rate of about twice a second or the speed of the song 'Staying Alive'.

  • Give two rescue breaths.

Step 2: Giving rescue breaths

  • Ensure the person's airway is open.

Apri le vie aeree

Apri le vie aeree adulto
  • Stringi saldamente il loro naso chiuso.

Pinch nose adult

Pinch nose adult
  • Fai un respiro profondo e sigilla le tue labbra intorno alla loro bocca.

  • Blow into the mouth until the chest rises.

Rescue breath adult

Rescue breath adult
  • Togli la bocca e lascia che il petto si abbassi.

Rescue breath pause adult

Rescue breath pause adult
  • Repeat once more.

  • Carry on giving 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths for as long as you can, or until help arrives.

  • If an automated external defibrillator (AED) arrives switch it on and follow the instructions provided with it.

If the person starts breathing normally again, stop CPR and put them in the recovery position.

Posizione di recupero

Posizione di recupero per adulti

Domande frequenti

What does it mean if someone is unresponsive?

If someone is unresponsive, it means they are not reacting to attempts to get their attention. This can be checked by asking loudly if they are alright, telling them to open their eyes, or gently shaking their shoulders or pinching their earlobe. If there's no response to these actions, they are presumed to be unresponsive.

What should I do first if someone is unresponsive?

Your first step is to check if they are unresponsive by calling out and gently trying to get their attention. If they do not respond, the next crucial step is to open their airway by gently tilting their head back and lifting their chin. This ensures they can breathe properly.

How do you know if a person has normal breathing when they are unresponsive?

To check for normal breathing in an unresponsive person, you should look for chest movement, listen for breathing sounds, and feel for breaths on your cheek. This observation should be done for no more than ten seconds.

When should I call for emergency help after finding someone unresponsive?

After you have safely put an unresponsive person into the recovery position (if they are breathing), you should immediately call 999 or 112 for medical help. Continue checking their breathing until help arrives.

What happens if someone stops breathing while in the recovery position?

If an unresponsive person, who was initially breathing and placed in the recovery position, stops breathing, you must call 999 or 112 straightaway. Be prepared to start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) immediately.

Ulteriori letture e riferimenti

Informazioni sull'autoreVisualizza il profilo completo

Immagine dell'autore

Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP

Medico di base, Autore medico

MBBS, MRCGP, MRCP (Paediatrics), DCH

Il Dr Colin Tidy è un medico del NHS, con sede nell'Oxfordshire.

Informazioni sul recensoreVisualizza il profilo completo

Immagine dell'autore

Dr Doug McKechnie, MRCGP

Scrittore Medico

MA, MBBS, MSc, DRCOG, MRCP(UK), MRCGP(2021), FHEA

Il dottor Doug McKechnie è un medico di base del NHS che lavora a Londra. Lavora a tempo pieno in ambito clinico ed è anche Vice Responsabile del modulo di Pratica Clinica e Professionale presso la Scuola di Medicina dell'University College London.

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