New AHA Guidelines

[JTpaintball70]

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/122/18_suppl_3/S640

Major changes:

- No more ABCs sequence. It is now going to be Chest Compressions-Airway-Breathing (C-A-B ) for all age groups.

- No more atropine for asystole or PEA

- Adenosine for regular, wide-complex tachycardia

- Chronotropic agents is an equal alternative to electrical pacing

- Emphasis on chest compression of AT LEAST 100/minute (versus "about 100/min)

- Chest compressions for adults of AT LEAST 2" depth (versus 1.5-2")

- Oxygen not needed in ACS patients if SPO2 94% or greater if no SOB

[HERBIE1]

Gotta keep those CPR instructors in business!

More changes- not exactly a surprise.

I'll worry about this if/when our system protocols change.

I took my first CPR class around 35 years ago. The changes that have been made since then are incredible- especially it seems within the last 10-15 years or so. Stair step respirations, pausing compressions to give ventilations, elevating the importance of compressions vs ventilations, immediate defibrillation, immediately calling for help vs doing CPR THEN activating EMS, CPR for 2 minutes THEN defibrillation, increasing the compression rate, changing the depth- the changes are endless. That's fine, because to me, even half assed bystander CPR is better than nothing at all.

Clearly the most important link in the survival chain is early bystander CPR, and this is also the most difficult part to enforce. In the 80's, I think the dangers of HIV and other infectious diseases kept many folks from doing CPR, or providing basic first aid. Standards were changed, there was a push for education, but I still think people are skittish about contracting some type of communicable disease if they help people.

[Richard B the EMT]

More commentary at AOL, link to http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/10/18/new-cpr-guidelines-chest-compressions/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk3%7C178507