PULS – Austrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association: An overview of a multi-tiered and multi-facetted regional initiative to save lives

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with subsequent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) still leads to dismal outcomes worldwide. The crucial gap between cardiac arrest and advanced life support can only be filled by bystander-CPR. However, knowledge and willingness of the public towards basic life support (BLS) remain low. Global and national initiatives for awareness building and CPR training have produced promising improvements, but an additional focus on regional initiatives might be necessary to truly implement change. METHODS AND RESULTS: In order to support other like-minded groups, we present a “coming of age” narrative review of PULS – Austrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association, along with a future outlook and “lessons learned”. Interviews with past and present employees, members, and functionaries were conducted by the authors. Additionally, the organization’s archives were assessed. CONCLUSION: Following current guidelines and the Utstein formula of survival, building a system to save lives is essential to achieve progress concerning cardiac arrest survival and outcomes. As kinds of “regional offices” of global resuscitation efforts, a network of individual local initiatives and organizations such as PULS can carry the respective messages, engage with local key figures of implementation, and keep up perpetual work for cardiac arrest awareness and BLS education.