Loading...
The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued a call to action for bystanders who witness adult cardiac arrest to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation using chest compressions only. This advisory amends the 2005 AHA guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care.
The AHA based the change on recent evidence, which suggests that the best strategy for resuscitating adults with non–asphyxia-related cardiac arrest is to start CPR quickly and to minimize interruptions of chest compressions. In addition, the AHA recognized that multiple reasons might cause bystanders to be unwilling or unable to provide rescue breathing (e.g., fear of contagion, lack of training). Current research demonstrates that survival outcomes are not worsened, and m…