Go through these in order and stop at the first one that applies. If you are reading this for someone else, answer for them.
1
Is any of this happening now?
Call 911
These symptoms deserve assessment but are not always an emergency.
Call emergency services for:
Severe difficulty breathing
Sudden or marked blue-grey colour of the lips or tongue
Collapse, unresponsiveness, or a seizure
Chest pain with collapse, sweating, or severe breathlessness
A baby who is struggling to breathe and cannot feed or remain awake
If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call emergency services and begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation if you are able.
And for anyone, someone who:
has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
Other emergency signs, for anyone
Someone who is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
Someone who you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
2
Is any of this happening?
Be seen today
Contact the congenital heart team promptly if established symptoms become more frequent, medicines are difficult to take, or there is a change in colour, feeding, growth, or activity.
Follow any condition-specific plan already provided.
Seek urgent medical assessment for fainting during exercise, a sustained fast or irregular heartbeat, new chest pain, rapidly increasing swelling, or clearly worsening breathlessness.
And for anyone, someone who:
is getting rapidly more short of breath, or has gained several pounds in a few days with swelling
3
Does any of this apply?
Book an appointment
Arrange routine medical advice if you or your child develops a gradual change such as reduced exercise ability, new palpitations, slow weight gain, increasing tiredness, mild swelling, or breathlessness that is not severe.
Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Congenital heart disease. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.