basislevensredding

Basislevensredding, commonly translated as basic life support (BLS), is the initial set of actions to sustain life in a person who is in cardiac arrest or near cardiac arrest. The goal is to maintain blood flow to the brain and heart until professional medical help arrives or a definitive treatment can be provided. It emphasizes rapid recognition, early activation of emergency services, high-quality chest compressions, and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Key steps: ensure scene safety, assess responsiveness, shout for help, and call emergency services (112 in the Netherlands and many European countries). If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR immediately. Use an AED as soon as it is available and follow the device prompts.

CPR technique: provide high-quality chest compressions at a rate of 100–120 per minute and a depth of about 5–6 cm for adults, allowing full recoil between compressions, and minimize pauses. If trained and able to give breaths, perform chest compressions with rescue breaths in a ratio of 30:2 (30 compressions followed by 2 breaths). If you are not trained or uncomfortable giving breaths, continuous chest compressions alone are recommended.

Outside of professional care, continue CPR until the person shows signs of life, an AED is ready to use, or responders take over. Ongoing training and recertification with recognized organizations such as Red Cross, Hartstichting, or equivalent programs help maintain readiness.

Basislevensredding is part of broader resuscitation guidelines that are periodically updated by international bodies to reflect current evidence.