Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death in Europe. Collecting and analysing European cardiac arrest statistics is crucial for improving resuscitation practices and saving more lives. The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) has a powerful tool called the ERC Cardiac Arrest Dashboard that provides a graphical overview of OHCA epidemiology and treatment across the continent.
Why European Cardiac Arrest Statistics Matter
Recording and studying European cardiac arrest statistics enables us to:
- Identify trends and patterns in OHCA incidence, characteristics, treatments, and outcomes across countries.
- Guide improvements in emergency response systems and bystander intervention strategies.
- Compare performance between countries to share best practices and optimize resuscitation protocols.
- Track progress over time in OHCA survival rates and identify areas for targeted improvement efforts.
- Raise public awareness of the importance of bystander CPR and rapid defibrillation in improving OHCA survival.
By participating in multinational cardiac arrest registries like EuReCa and making data available through the ERC dashboard, countries can benchmark their performance and collaborate to enhance resuscitation practices based on the latest European cardiac arrest statistics.
Exploring the ERC Dashboard
The ERC Cardiac Arrest Dashboard displays European cardiac arrest statistics on an interactive map. Clicking on each country reveals key OHCA metrics such as:
- Number of cardiac arrest cases recorded
- Proportion receiving resuscitation attempts by emergency services
- Rates of bystander CPR and AED use before ambulance arrival
- Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rates
- Survival to hospital discharge rates
The dashboard also provides links to connect with each country’s resuscitation council, first responder apps, and emergency service numbers, enabling closer collaboration and data sharing.
The Importance of Participation
By building more comprehensive cardiac arrest registries and openly sharing data, we can accelerate progress in improving OHCA survival and outcomes across the continent.
European cardiac arrest statistics are most powerful when they are comprehensive and up-to-date. The more countries that collect and contribute data, the better we can understand the true burden of OHCA and identify the most effective strategies for improving survival.
Visit the ERC Cardiac Arrest Dashboard to explore the latest European cardiac arrest statistics.