The behaviours of the inhabitants of the Lublin region in the situations of sudden cardiac arrest as reflected in the opinions of the Ambulance Service doctors.

Diseases of blood circulation system constitute the major cause of sudden cardiac arrest and deaths in Poland. Approximately 70% of all the cases of cardiac arrest occurs outside hospitals, frequently at patient's home. In the case of applying immediate resuscitation by the event witness in the situation of sudden cardiac arrest the percentage of the victims' survival is estimated at approximately 43%. Each delay of the initiation of Basic (BLS) and afterwards Advanced Life Support (ALS) lowers the chance of survival. Thus, it is extremely significant to educate Polish society in the area of basic resuscitative actions, particularly due to the fact that laypeople are usually the first ones at the scene of an accident. The aim of the paper was to determine to what extent the inhabitants of the Lublin region are prepared to rescue victims of sudden accidents by means of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and proper response in the situation of the sudden cardiac arrest. As results from the executed survey the inhabitants of the Lublin region in the situation of sudden cardiac arrest mostly do nothing but call an ambulance. The witnesses of the sudden cardiac arrest more frequently apply only rescue breathing or only indirect heart massage rather than rescue breathing and indirect heart massage simultaneously. The competence for applying CPR among the inhabitants of the Lublin region is poor and the resuscitative actions are much more frequently taken up by men. Premedical aid trainings are considered insufficient to prepare witnesses of sudden cardiac arrest for applying first-aid. They should be conducted by doctors, in properly prepared and equipped training centers. The majority of the Ambulance Service doctors in Lublin indicated the demand for reminder premedical aid trainings.