Ole had a cardiac arrest during training – fortunately two other exercisers were able to provide first aid – NRK Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio

– I no longer remember sitting on this device, says Ole Sandvik.

He is back in good training routines, but it could have been much worse.

On Friday 23 February he was at the Boost training center in Haugesund. As usual, he warmed up on the treadmill before going to the first position in the strength program.

Then it turned black.

– Fortunately, there were two nurses who trained and understood that it was an emergency situation. They started first aid, he says.

Quick-witted fellow exercisers and the defibrillator saved Ole’s life.

At the same time, figures from the Cardiac Arrest Register show that only one in ten survives a cardiac arrest outside hospital.

A serious illness

In 2022, attempts were made to revive 3,881 people with cardiac arrest outside hospital. 434 of these lived 30 days later, according to figures from the Cardiac Arrest Register.

– It is a very serious illness. The heart has stopped beating and one has very little time before the brain and what is actually the person can no longer be revived. I’m actually most impressed that every year we have more than 400 people who survive it, says Jo Kramer-Johansen.

He is the specialist in the Norwegian Cardiac Arrest Register and day-to-day manager of the National Competence Service for pre-hospital emergency medicine (NAKOS).

The figures for 2023 will come in mid-June, but these are surprisingly similar from year to year, according to Kramer-Johansen.

He thinks Ole Sandvik was lucky and unlucky.

– Most people who have a cardiac arrest are older and they get it at home. Having a cardiac arrest like lightning out of the blue is very rare. And when he first got it, he was lucky because someone saw what happened and wanted to help, he says.

Uncertain about defibrillators

But not everyone feels confident about what they should do.

A survey conducted by Respons Analysis for the Red Cross in March showed that only half know how to use a defibrillator.

Women are more insecure than men.

– It is alarmingly low, says senior advisor for first aid in the Red Cross, Einar Irjan Ananiassen.

He encourages everyone to familiarize themselves with defibrillators.

– They are not difficult to use, he says.

The survey also shows that 6 out of 10 feel confident in giving first aid and that people have an increasing awareness of the symptoms of stroke and heart attack.

Here the women scored higher than the men.

Ananiassen believes that the most important thing is to do something.

– First aid is decisive in some cases. And it is better to give 15-20 percent correct first aid than to do nothing, he says.

Wake up after two days

Ole Sandvik did not wake up until two days after the heart stopped. He is happy that those who trained at the same time as him knew what to do.

– For me, it was absolutely decisive for me to be able to continue my life as before.

Today I am back at work full time and train twice a week at the fitness center as before.