React - If the person is unconscious and not breathing... it's cardiac arrest

To mark World Heart Day, the Luxembourg Resuscitation Council (LRC) is working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health to launch its 'React' campaign today, aiming to provide life-saving instructions in the event of a cardiac arrest.

The only thing you can do wrong is doing nothing at all

If you see something, react! You'd want to be helped too, if you were having a cardiac arrest. Download this brochure from the 'Learn more' box below for information on the best way to react.

Being able to react doesn't just happen by itself. For your efforts to be effective, you have to react right away within the first 3 minutes of the incident happening.

400 victims a year

Each year, 400 people in Luxembourg suffer a cardiac arrest. Reacting quickly is key to avoiding irreversible damage!

How do you recognise a cardiac arrest?

• The person loses consciousness and falls.
• They do not respond to voices or touch.
• They are not breathing (their chest is not rising and falling) or gasping.

How should you react?

Call 112

• Call 112 immediately and say where you are calling from.
• Explain the victim's condition: unconscious, not breathing, lost colour, etc.
• Do not hang up, follow the instructions.

Begin cardiac massage

• Ensure the victim is lying on their back on a firm, flat surface.
• Kneel by their side.
• Place your hands one on top of the other on the breastbone in the middle of their chest.
• Stretch out your arms and lock your elbows.
• Using your body weight, press down firmly.
• Your hands should press by at least 5 cm but no more than 6 cm on their chest.
• Allow the chest to rise to its original position after each compression.
• Keep your hands on their chest between compressions.
• Maintain a rate of 120 compressions per minute.
• If you are trained, start rescue breaths: after every 30 chest compressions, give 2 rescue breaths.
• Continue the chest compressions either until the victim begins to recover or emergency help arrives.

This advice does not replace first aid training. Only full training will enable you to perform life-saving measures with maximum efficiency and safety.