Introduction: According to data from the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) from 2021, the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in European countries was between 67 and 170 per 100,000 inhabitants with an average survival rate of 8%. The European country with the highest OHCA survival rate of 25% is Norway, where the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course has been an integral part of the national school curriculum since 1961. (1-3) Aim: To examine general knowledge about recognizing emergency situations and the correct procedure for performing CPR among high school students and teachers in the General Gymnasium in Valpovo, Croatia.
Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 47 teachers and 47 students in the second grade. An anonymous survey containing 10 questions with 4 proposed answers was used, and the number of correct answers was unknown.
Results: Knowledge of the etiology of cardiac arrest and the purpose of CPR is unsatisfactory among both teachers and students (2% of teachers vs 0% of students answered correctly). Teachers achieved better results in questions about the EpiPen mechanism of action (51% compared to 17% of students), accurate localization of pulse palpation in unconscious persons (68% compared to 60% of students) and recognition of situations in which emergency medical help should be called (38% compared to 26% of students), while the students achieved better results regarding the correct ratio of heart massage and ventilation during the CPR procedure (38% compared to 15% of teachers). Knowledge of proper handling of an unconscious person was satisfactory in both observed groups.
Conclusion: First aid and CPR courses should be understood as lifelong learning programs that should be implemented at a young age and repeated regularly. As a result, the survival rate of OHCA would increase.