Measures to prevent deaths from cardiac arrest

In our country, 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and approximately 20,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually. According to figures provided by the Spanish Resuscitation Council (CERCP), these statistics can lead to at least 46,900 deaths per year—a mortality figure 24 times higher than traffic accidents. Despite advances in cardiac arrest treatment, at least 90 percent of affected individuals pass away.

The figures are staggering: only one in five people receives bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as Spain remains far below the European average in available defibrillators. Furthermore, public training rates remain remarkably low.

It is a priority that the general public first becomes aware of this devastating reality and trains to respond to cardiac arrests until emergency teams arrive. Expanding CPR training among the population must be a priority for public institutions. The role of town councils with direct contact with local residents, training in schools, and corporate environments is key. Installing defibrillators in businesses and residential communities would significantly reduce these figures. Moreover, defibrillators should be accessible near homes, as a high percentage of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in residential settings.

Building social awareness is one of our top priorities. Throughout 2020, we will launch various initiatives focused on outreach as a tool for public awareness. We view training as the key to dispelling the fear of making mistakes, enabling laypeople to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We will also continue to provide expert advice on defibrillator installation and setup.

[Data source: https://diarioenfermero.es/el-consejo-espanol-de-rcp-propone-medidas-para-evitar-anualm]