THERE were more than 5,000 cardiac arrests last year in Ireland and over 70 per cent of these happened in the home, according to the Irish Heart Foundation.

The IHF is urging the public to learn how to do CPR, citing it makes someone undergoing a cardiac arrest up to three times more likely to survive.

Someone who has learned CPR is also ten times more likely to respond in an emergency.

Resuscitation procedures:

* Call 999.

* Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest.

* Place other hand on top and interlock fingers.

* Compress the chest to the rhythm of 'Stayin' Alive' (Bee-Gees).

* If willing, provide two rescue breaths between every 30 compressions, otherwise pump the chest continuously

* Do not stop pumping.

CPR courses are carried out at IHF-affiliated sites nationwide, for more information please visit irishheart.ie