The public has been urged not to be afraid of starting cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in cases of cardiac arrest – after figures showed 240 people survived because someone started CPR or used a defibrillator.
The Irish Heart Foundation has said almost 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, making it more likely that CPR will have to be performed on a family member.
It highlighted the importance of CPR training to coincide with World Restart a Heart Day on Wednesday.
The charity’s resuscitation manager said a person’s chance of survival can be doubled by someone else starting CPR and using an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Brigid Sinnott said: “For every minute without CPR or defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by 10% per minute.
“What we want people to understand is that you can do no harm – it’s better to do CPR on someone who doesn’t need it than not to do CPR on someone who does.”
The main steps in performing CPR are recognise that someone is having a cardiac arrest, calling 112 or 999, pushing hard and fast in the centre of the chest, and using an AED.
Ireland has a high bystander CPR rate where someone who witnesses cardiac arrest steps in to provide the life-saving procedure.
Ms Sinnott added: “But it is important to remember that it is more likely to be a family member’s life you could save.”
Bystander CPR in cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Ireland increased from 60% to 85% between 2012 and 2023, according to the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Register report 2023 from the National Ambulance Service, published last week.
The Irish Heart Foundation aims to create a nation of lifesavers through its CPR courses, provided to the public through Affiliated Training Sites all around the country, and its free CPR 4 Schools programme.
The programme for post-primary schools trains students to perform the skill, respond in a cardiac emergency and use an AED.
A person who learns CPR even once in their life is 10 times more likely to respond in an emergency than someone who has not.
Ms Sinnott said: “Our CPR 4 Schools programme has a reach of over 350,000 students in Ireland, thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the public – without their continued support, it just wouldn’t be possible.
“The school programme means students will have learned CPR skills a number of times before they leave school, which will help to build a nation of lifesavers.
“Not everyone will survive a cardiac arrest but by performing CPR, you are giving people the best chance.
– More information is available on irishheart.ie