How can I tell if someone has become suddenly ill?

When a person becomes suddenly ill, he or she usually looks and feels sick. Common signs are:

• Changes in level of consciousness, such as feeling lightheaded, dizzy, drowsy or confused, or becoming unconscious
• Breathing problems (i.e., trouble breathing or no breathing)
• Signs of a possible heart attack, including persistent chest pain, discomfort or pressure lasting more than a few minutes that goes away and comes back or that spreads to the shoulder, arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back
• Signs of a stroke, including sudden weakness on one side of the face (facial droop), sudden weakness, often on one side of the body, sudden slurred speech or trouble forming words, or a sudden, severe headache.
• Loss of vision or blurred vision
• Signs of shock, including rapid breathing, changes in skin appearance and cool, pale or ashen (grayish) skin
• Sweating
• Persistent abdominal pain or pressure
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Seizures