[Cardio-respiratory arrest. New concepts and physiopathological consequences]

In the past few years, many studies have been devoted to cardiac arrest (CA) resuscitation. The "Chain of Survival" concept is considered as the best comprehensive approach of CA prognostic improvement. It includes 4 links: early access (recognition of early signs of CA and activation of the emergency medical system), early cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defibrillation of ventricular fibrillations and early advanced cardiac life support (intubation, intravenous medication). Non withstanding all the recent progress en physiology or therapeutics, the early management is still the basis of the prognosis. That is why prehospital care organization is the main determinant of CA survival.