Major Changes in the 2005 AHA Guidelines for CPR
Late last year the American Heart Association (AHA) published the 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. The Doctors Company recommends that all CPR-certified personnel—whether they have completed the health care provider or lay rescuer course—become familiar with the new guidelines.
The AHA guidelines contain major changes and new recommendations that affect all rescuers. Some of the important information contained in the guidelines addresses changes in the following areas:
Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
Delivery of compressions is now recommended at a 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio for all lone rescuers of victims from infancy (excluding newborns) through adulthood.
A compression-to-ventilation ratio of 15:2 is recommended for two-rescuer CPR for infants and children (a skill taught chiefly to health care providers and lifeguards). Evidence suggests that blood flow is optimized by using recommended chest compression force and duration and maintaining a chest compression rate of approximately 100 compressions per minute with limited interruptions. Compressions should be to a depth of one and one-half to two inches, allowing the chest to recoil after each compression.
Neonatal Resuscitation Guidelines
Infants without signs of life (no heartbeat or respiratory effort) after 10 minutes of resuscitation show either a high mortality or severe neurodevelopmental disability. After 10 minutes of continuous and adequate resuscitative efforts, discontinuation may be justified if there are no signs of life.
Guidelines for withholding and discontinuing resuscitation should be interpreted according to current regional outcomes. Please read the entire guideline text for further information.
How to Obtain the Guidelines
To read the complete text of the 2005 AHA guidelines—which also provide recommendations for the treatment of asthmatics, first aid (wounds and abrasions, etc.), foreign body airway obstruction, emergency medical service systems, and the use of automated external defibrillators in children—please visit the American Heart Association online at www.americanheart.org.
At The Doctors Company, we continually strive to keep our insureds informed of all news regarding patient safety awareness. If we can assist you, please call the Department of Patient Safety at (800) 421-2368, extension 1243.
