Every year, 50,000 people die from cardiac arrest. However, cardiac arrest is not necessarily fatal, provided that you act quickly.

HOW CAN I RECOGNIZE CARDIAC ARREST?

The victim loses consciousness and does not react when spoken to. The victim no longer has a pulse and you can no longer hear their breathing: their chest does not rise and you cannot feel their breath when you approach the cheek. The victim becomes very pale or their skin turns bluish.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WITNESS A CARDIAC ARREST?

1. Call the emergency services by dialing 15:

• Describe what you saw.
• Indicate the address of the accident.
• Specify whether first aid has already been given.
• Above all, do not hang up until you are told to.

2. Perform cardiac massage:

• Lay the victim down and kneel next to them.
• Place your hands one on top of the other in the middle of the chest.
• Exert strong pressure, relaxing the effort of your hands between each pressure.
• Do a series of 30 pressures at a regular pace. You can then perform two breaths (or mouth-to-mouth) - only if you master this gesture, mouth to mouth is no longer mandatory - and start a series of 30 pressures again.

3. Apply an automated external defibrillator:

• If there is a defibrillator on site, use it after 2 minutes of cardiac massage, otherwise continue cardiac massage until help arrives.

I HAVE NO FIRST AID TRAINING, DO I STILL HAVE TO ACT?

If you witness a cardiac arrest, it is your duty to act. The first step: call the emergency services. After describing the situation to your contact, they will be able to guide you on the actions to take. First aid actions are simple actions that will increase the victim's chances of survival.

I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN LIFE-SAVING ACTIONS, WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?

Several organizations provide free first aid training throughout France. These training courses only last a few hours and are accessible to anyone over the age of 10. You can obtain more information on these courses from the town hall of your residence, the fire department or the local branch of the Red Cross. Failing that, you can contact the websites dedicated to first aid.
When faced with a victim of cardiac arrest, the worst thing is to do nothing. To be more effective and act with composure, free training courses are provided throughout France.

Author: DR Robert BRAMI