National CPR Week launched

The survival rate of cardiac arrests in China is only one tenth of that in the United States, partly because few people know cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, and insufficient automated external defibrillators in public places, according to Dr Huo Yong from Peking University First Hospital at the launch of China’s first CPR Week.

Nearly 4 million people die of cardiovascular problems in China every year, the majority from cardiac arrest outside hospital.

CPR can save lives, so it is important to improve public skills and awareness, said experts while setting CPR Week as June 1 - 7 every year.

"We can learn from the United States, which includes CPR training  into its middle school classes and has widely install AED in schools and other public venues," said Huo.