Plight of Danish footballer highlights need-to-know CPR, AED

It is important to promote CPR and AED at public venues, local medical experts noted, after a Danish football player was rescued by medics at a Euro 2020 match. 

Christian Eriksen received cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) soon after he collapsed on the field and was saved.

With the first four minutes, the rate of saving a person with cardiac arrest is 50 percent.  The patient will suffer brain death after 10 minutes.

"Disease, extreme sports, an unhealthy lifestyle and cold weather can increase the risk of cardiac arrest," said Dr Zhang Yajun from Shanghai Yodak Cardio-Thoracic Hospital. "So receiving regular screenings, having a healthy lifestyle and enhancing health awareness are important. The promotion of CPR and AED is also important."

Knowing how to perform CPR is less than 1 percent in China, while it is 40 to 60 percent in Western countries. In some European countries, it is much higher, she said.

The Red Cross Society of China Shanghai Branch has been promoting first aid education and training in schools, communities and public service venues and pushing the installation of AED at venues, officials said.