Brief training in automated external defibrillation use for persons with down syndrome Sir,Public access defibrillation programs aim to increase bystander response in case of cardiac arrest, including basic life support and early defibrillation by means of available automated external defibrillators (AED). All citizens should be able to use an AED after adequate but simple training. 1 Most of young people with down

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Previous pilot experience has shown the ability of visually impaired and blind people (BP) to learn basic life support (BLS), but no studies have compared their abilities with blindfolded people (BFP) after participating in the same instructor-led, real-time feedback training. Twenty-nine BP and 30 BFP participated in this quasi-experimental trial. Training consisted of a 1 h theoretical and practical training session with an additional 30 min afterwards, led by nurses with prior experience in BLS training of various collectives. Quantitative quality of chest compressions (CC), AED use and BLS sequence were evaluated by means of a simulation scenario. BP’s median time to start CC was less than 35 s. Global and specific components of CC quality were similar between groups, except for compression rate (BFP: 123.4 + 15.2 vs. BP: 110.8 + 15.3 CC/min; p = 0.002). Mean compression depth was below the recommended target in both groups, and optimal CC depth was achieved by 27.6% of blind and 23.3% of blindfolded people (p = 0.288). Time to discharge was significantly longer in BFP than BP (86.0 + 24.9 vs. 66.0 + 27.0 s; p = 0.004). Thus, after an adapted and short training program, blind people were revealed to have abilities comparable to those of blindfolded people in learning and performing the BLS sequence and CC.