CONGRESS ABSTRACT

Every year in Italy more than 1000 athletes lose their lives due to cardiac arrest occurring while carrying out their sport activity. The presence of an AED is essential not only where competitive or amateur activities are carried out, but also in structures such as gyms, sports centers and day centers where activities involving cardiovascular commitment take place. AEDs must be readily available so that a first shock can be delivered within 3 minutes of collapse. The role of training personnel in sports fields or gyms is fundamental, as is the availability and use of AEDs in sports and training fields or gyms. In order to evaluate the compliance to the Balduzzi Decree and subsequent ones, we have structured this Survey, composed of 10 simple questions, which we sent to the CSI (italian sports center) of Modena (Italy) to submit it to all sports clubs, gyms and sports centers related to it. We received 143 responses, in particular from centers where soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, basketball and tennis are practiced (Figure 1). 95.8% of them were equipped with AEDs, in 81,1% of cases before 2020 while 2% have adapted only in 2024. In 99.3% of the personnel in charge have completed a BLSD course and believe that the course was very useful, in 78% more than 2 operators were trained and retraining carried out in 83.2%. In 7.7% of cases it was necessary to use the AED and 7% still think that the AED is located in a not easily accessible place. In 15,4% of the Centers there is no person in charge of checking the battery and the expiry of the plates (Figures 2 and 3). The results show that most of the sports facilities are equipped with AEDs; very few of them have adapted only in 2024 and in others (4,2%) it is still missing. The AED is essential in relation to the 7.7% of use that emerged and specific training, carried out by certified training centres, plays a fundamental role. The objective of our survey was to photograph the current situation in the Province of Modena but above all to remind the various structures that it is necessary to equip themselves with the AED, carry out its maintenance, carry out basic and retraining courses for operators.