Activation of community first responders did not improve short-term survival after cardiac arrest
A randomized study presented at the ESC Congress 2026 found that mobilizing community first responders did not improve 30-day survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. The study suggests that standard emergency medical services remain the primary factor in patient outcomes.
Why it matters
This finding challenges the efficacy of widespread volunteer-based emergency response systems and may influence future public health policy.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Community first responders did not improve 30-day survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 .
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a time-critical emergency in which survival depends on early recognition, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation. Many countries have developed smartphone-based systems in which volunteer first responders are mobilized to perform CPR and defibrillation before emergency medical services arrive.
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