[Bystander resuscitation: the impact of first aid on survival].

About 75000 people suffer from sudden cardiac arrest in Germany every year. 47% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in Germany are bystander witnessed, but in only 16.1% is bystander-initiated CPR undertaken. In comparison to other countries, Germany is in the last third of bystander-initiated CPR activities. But bystander CPR is one of the most important measures contributing to a good neurological outcome after OHCA. New methods and concepts have to be developed to bring the knowledge of CPR to the general public in Germany and to improve the international standing. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.