Cardiopulmonary arrest (CRA) is the most serious event in the health area and its prompt recognition with the consequent initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers are essential for the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Despite the absence of robust epidemiological data, a meta-analysis of 141 studies including countries in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, demonstrated a ROSC rate below 30% in cases of out-of-hospital CA, and concluded that the chances of success were linked to the fact that the CPR was witnessed and in cases where CPR had been initiated by a bystander.

In Brazil, according to the guideline on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology, the survival rates of out-of-hospital CPA, when addressed within the first 5 minutes with early defibrillation, vary between 50% and 70% two. On the other hand, in the in-hospital environment, paradoxically, survival rates are less than 20%, probably due to associated clinical conditions and the greater severity of patients, which make asystole and pulseless electrical activity the most prevalent rhythms.

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