An Irish participant in the 2025 Prague Marathon survived a cardiac arrest thanks to the coordinated response of Prague’s emergency medical services and a specialized team at General University Hospital, authorities reported in a statement.
The 55-year-old runner collapsed during the race near a medical response vehicle stationed along the course. Emergency personnel immediately began advanced resuscitation procedures, which continued throughout the transport to the hospital.
Despite multiple defibrillation attempts, the patient showed no return of cardiac activity.
Within 47 minutes of the collapse, he was connected to an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) device, which successfully restored heart function.
According to the Medical Rescue Service, dispatcher-assisted CPR and mobile medical teams in the Czech capital contribute to one of the highest survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Europe.
The runner regained full consciousness and was cleared for medical repatriation to Ireland after 48 hours from the initial response.
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