Restart a Heart Day

Restart a Heart Day

Restart a Heart Day occurs yearly on October 16. On this day, countries around the world come together to celebrate World Restart a Heart (WRAH). This day raises awareness about cardiac arrest and the importance of bystander CPR and defibrillation in saving lives. This initiative has always been about more than just one day, and now it’s official. Call attention to Restart a Heart Day. For example, wear a red enamel pin, red fabric ribbon or red wristband to call attention to this awareness day.

Whether you’re hosting an event or attending one, teaching in person or learning online, you have a key role to play in improving survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. You can ensure that everyone has a chance to learn CPR. And, how to use a defibrillator so that those having a sudden cardiac arrest have their best chance of surviving.

Wear a Red Pin, Ribbon or Wristband for Restart a Heart Day!

World Restart a Heart Day is an international awareness campaign held in numerous countries on October 16. Its main goal is to highlight the importance of bystander CPR. And, to encourage people to learn CPR. The observance was initiated by the European Resuscitation Council with the support of the European Parliament.

The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) is an international organization established in 1989. Their mission is to preserve human life by making high quality resuscitation available to all. One of its main areas of focus is spreading information about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). And, calling attention to its importance for saving lives in emergency situations.

The History of World Restart a Heart Day

The history of World Restart a Heart Day began back in 2012. This is when the European Parliament declared the European Cardiac Arrest Awareness Week. According to the statistics cited in the declaration, about 400,000 people in Europe have an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest every year. Over 90% of those arrests result in death.

However, timely CPR administered within 3–4 minutes of a cardiac arrest may increase the chance of survival to more than 50%. Most often, CPR is administered by bystanders before the arrival of paramedics. So the more people learn to perform CPR and actually use their skills in emergency situations, the lower the death rate from sudden cardiac arrest will be.

World Restart a Heart Day was originally inaugurated as European Restart a Heart Day, but now it is observed all around the world. On October 16 every year, ERC member states organize free workshops where anyone can learn to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). These workshops, as well as other World Restart a Heart Day events, receive informational and practical support from numerous healthcare organizations. This includes the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

CPR and Naloxone Administration

The American Heart Association recommendation calls for laypeople and others who cannot reliably establish the presence of a pulse to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in any individual who is unconscious and not breathing normally. If opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone should also be administered.

According to the American Heart Association, widespread community training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and naloxone administration is of growing importance.