Help from a distance - The present and the future of video-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Quick and high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation has an important role in the survival of out-of-hospital car-diac arrest. In the majority of the cases, the victim is detected by a layperson. Usually, the ratio of giving help is lower than expected. Dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation can improve the helping attitude and the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by giving instructions during the emergency call. Telephone-assisted car-diopulmonary resuscitation is widely available worldwide. In addition, video-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation provides the possibility of not only voice-based but also video-based communication. This can provide real-time feedback from the scene, the victim and the bystander. Previous simulation studies showed the advantages of video -assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The technology is available in some countries in the real-life health care sys-tem. Despite positive effects, we need to examine also less studied aspects which can influence the effectiveness of the technology such as camera position, quality of the video, environmental factors, and the knowledge and attitude of dispatchers and bystanders related to video-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Clarifying these factors is impor-tant because the availability of technology in itself is not a guarantee of successful implementation. In conclusion, the establishment of a national CPR register is suggested. The introduction of the V-CPR method requires studies con- ducted in a domestic environment. It is recommended to form a professional consensus working group, involving all relevant experts to develop V-CPR guidelines.