AHA CPR and Emergency Cardiac Care Guidelines: Updates for 2015

Push hard and fast — but not too hard or too fast!

Sponsoring Organization: American Heart Association (AHA)

Target Population: Lay public, healthcare providers

Background and Objective

The AHA has released an evidence-based update to its 2010 guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care.

Key Points

Adult basic life support (BLS):

Bystanders should initiate compression-only CPR.
Compression rate should be 100–120 per minute (updated from “at least” 100 per minute).
Compression depth should be 2–2.4 inches (upper limit added).
Compression time should be maximized.
Feedback devices may be used to optimize compression rate and depth.
Social media may be used to summon rescuers to perform CPR.

Adult advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS):

Vasopressin is out; stic…

Reviewing Author

Ali S. Raja, MD, MBA, MPH, FACEP

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Board Member); American College of Healthcare Executives – Massachusetts (Board Member)