Achievements With Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation In The Last 21 Years In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The objective of this review is to establish a Framework about the educational activities of the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. The activities are organised and conducted by the (CPR) National Committee of the Saudi Heart Association (SHA) and determine if it has had any effect on the survival rate in daily hospital work Further, the review puts forward recommendations regarding the key to success for future implementations and improvement in the outcome of heart attacks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was introduced into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the 1979 through the curriculum of the medical students. The Author and some of his friends obtained their BLS instructor certificates through ARAMCO center in 1982. The real birth of CPR in the Kingdom was initiated in 1983 following a visit by the author to the Dallas headquarters and making an official invitation for the American Heart Association (AHA) to conduct the first instructor course in CPR. This was achieved in the spring of 1984 under the auspices of the Postgraduate Center of the College of Medicine. Later, the activities of CPR were transferred to the newly founded Saudi Heart Association (SHA) in 1985 and currently maintaining these activities. The National CPR committee chaired by the author continues expanding its activities throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and most recently to the Gulf states. The number of courses organized, conducted, and reported exceeded 765 for providers and instructors in BCLS and ACLS. This resulted in certification of more than 1,000 and more than 250 instructors in basic and advanced CPR respectively The number of recognized centers established in the Kingdom and the Gulf region reached 96 for BLS and 34 for ACLS. Not all of the centers are active for a number of reasons. Over 80% are still maintaining their status as training centers and are actively involved in providing specific courses according to their classification. The number of certificates has exceeded 200,000. The first 13 years was limited and only 85,000 certificates were issued, while the last 8 years showed a tremendous increase to 203,000 certificates.