How to survive a cardiac arrest? Jean-Philippe Larose's testimony

Each year in Quebec, thousands of people suffer a sudden cardiac arrest. In these situations, every minute counts. Without rapid intervention, the chances of survival decrease by 7 to 10% per minute.

On December 10, 2017, Jean-Philippe Larose went to play ball hockey, as he had done dozens of times before. He did not return home in the same way. Here is his story and what it tells us about our collective responsibility in the face of cardiac arrest.

A December evening, a gymnasium, and a life that changes forever

The cardiac arrest occurred in a completely normal context. Nothing indicated what was about to happen.

Two months earlier, Jean-Philippe had even passed a reassuring stress test.

"I was told: 'Everything is great, we'll see each other again in a year and a half, two years.'"

On that December 10, 2017, he met up with his friends for a game of ball hockey. A familiar, low-pressure activity between guys who had known each other for a long time. About fifteen minutes before the end, nothing indicated what was to follow.

"I made a routine stop… then I said: 'Hey, I don't feel well, I feel like a heat stroke.' […] I lay down on the ground and immediately after, blacked out, I fell to the ground."

Jean-Philippe has just suffered a cardiac arrest. Not a heart attack, but a cardiac arrest: a sudden electrical malfunction of the heart. Every second that passes without intervention reduces his chances of survival by 7 to 10%. He is unconscious. His heart is no longer beating.

Why are first responders a determining factor?

In the seconds following Jean-Philippe's collapse, his teammates reacted. One of them, Eric, works in a hospital, not as a nurse, but he knows what to do.

"He came to see me right away. He immediately took charge. He told another player: 'You, call 911. You, open the doors for the ambulance... You, go find the defibrillator.'"

During a cardiac arrest, the chain of survival relies on four essential elements:

1. Rapid recognition of cardiac arrest
2. Immediate call to emergency services
3. Start of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
4. Rapid defibrillation using an AED

The role of the first responders was crucial. Without their immediate intervention, the chances of survival would have dropped drastically. Even without being healthcare professionals, trained or sometimes just informed individuals can make a difference.

"There were three of them performing chest compressions, taking turns."

Why does the AED change everything?

While compressions continue, someone goes in search of the AED, the automated external defibrillator installed in the establishment. But what they discover illustrates a problem found in hundreds of establishments in Quebec.

"There was one, but it was behind seven locked doors in the gym. It wasn't next to the gym, it was really in the back."

Despite this obstacle, the device is finally found and brought. And what happens next is almost miraculous, yet it's exactly what this device is designed to do.

"The defibrillator had only been there for a few weeks... one shock was enough. It brought me back."

A single electric shock. After several minutes without a heartbeat, Jean-Philippe's heart resumes its rhythm. He is alive.

What happens when there's no AED nearby?

Jean-Philippe survived. But he is the first to say that his story could have ended very differently. And he gladly shares a reality that emergency services know all too well.

"When paramedics receive the call, if there's no AED, they often know it will be too late."

Even the fastest emergency interventions cannot compensate for the absence of a defibrillator on site. In the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, everything depends on the people present and their access to this device.

"After that, they equipped the gyms with an AED at the gym door."

A device hidden behind seven doors can cost a life. A visible device at the entrance can save one.

Why should everyone be concerned?

Even today, many obstacles persist: fear of doing wrong, lack of training, mistaken perception of risks.

Jean-Philippe survived thanks to people who acted without hesitation. Yet, in other similar situations, witnesses remain paralyzed by the fear of doing harm.

"There are still major obstacles and myths surrounding defibrillators. People are afraid of hurting someone, they often confuse pacemakers and defibrillators... There's a lot of confusion about it."

However, the reality is simple: anyone can intervene. The AED guides the user through each step. It analyzes the heart rhythm itself and decides if a shock is necessary.

"You put on two pads, you press the button, and the machine tells you what to do. It's really not complicated."

And above all, Jean-Philippe summarizes with disarming frankness what the fear of acting can cost:

"The person is dead... you can't hurt them more. You have to at least try something."

Why do so many organizations still hesitate to get equipped?

Many organizations, sports associations, municipalities, and co-owners still hesitate to invest in an AED. The reasons given vary: cost, low risk, lack of information.

Jean-Philippe, for his part, puts things in perspective with a simplicity that closes all debate:

"$1,500 to save a life is nothing at all."

And installation alone is not enough. An AED only saves lives if it is visible, regularly inspected, with operational electrodes and batteries.

"It's all very well to have one, but if half the people don't know where it is, if there's no signage, if it's at the end of a hidden corridor, it's complicated."

What can we learn from Jean-Philippe Larose's story?

Surviving a cardiac arrest is possible. But it almost always depends on the speed of intervention and the availability of a defibrillator.

Since his accident, Jean-Philippe has been committed to raising public awareness and making things happen!

"If my testimony, my interventions, the interviews I do are enough for people to buy a defibrillator, and for that to save lives, it's worth it."

His story is not a statistic. He is a father, a friend, a teammate who was lucky enough to have the right people in the right place, with the right equipment.

And sometimes, the difference between a tragedy and a second chance comes down to a single device on the wall and someone who dares to act.