Editorial. Sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the third leading cause of death in industrialised nations. Up to 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are witnessed by family members, friends and other bystanders. A greater percentage of cardiac arrests in infants are likely to involve first responders who are the child’s family members or other close caregivers. There is considerable rescuer variation in compression treatment styles, as shown in figure 1.1 When compared with adults, relatively few CPR data exist regarding treatment of children during cardiac arrest. As a result, internationally agreed CPR guidelines have been developed with data often extrapolated from adults or animal studies.2. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.