2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

Robert A. Berg, Chair; Robin Hemphill; Benjamin S. Abella; Tom P. Aufderheide; Diana M. Cave; Mary Fran Hazinski; E. Brooke Lerner; Thomas D. Rea; Michael R. Sayre; Robert A. Swor

Introduction

Basic life support (BLS) is the foundation for saving lives following cardiac arrest. Fundamental aspects of BLS include immediate recognition of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and activation of the emergency response system, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and rapid defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED). Initial recognition and response to heart attack and stroke are also considered part of BLS. This section presents the 2010 adult BLS guidelines for lay rescuers and healthcare providers. Key changes and continued points of emphasis from the 2005 BLS Guidelines include the following:

• Immediate recognition of SCA based on assessing unresponsiveness and absence of normal breathing (ie, the victim is not breathing or only gasping)
• "Look, Listen, and Feel" removed from the BLS algorithm
• Encouraging Hands-Only (chest compression only) CPR (ie, continuous chest compression over the middle of the chest) for the untrained lay-rescuer
• Sequence change to chest compressions before rescue breaths (CAB rather than ABC)
• Health care providers continue effective chest compressions/CPR until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) or termination of resuscitative efforts
• Increased focus on methods to ensure that high-quality CPR (compressions of adequate rate and depth, allowing full chest recoil between compressions, minimizing interruptions in chest compressions and avoiding excessive ventilation) is performed
• Continued de-emphasis on pulse check for health care providers
• A simplified adult BLS algorithm is introduced with the revised traditional algorithm
• Recommendation of a simultaneous, choreographed approach for chest compressions, airway management, rescue breathing, rhythm detection, and shocks (if appropriate) by an integrated team of highly-trained rescuers in appropriate settings

Despite important advances in prevention, SCA continues to be a leading cause of death in many parts of the world. SCA has many etiologies (ie, cardiac or noncardiac causes), circumstances (eg, witnessed or unwitnessed), and settings (eg, out-of-hospital or in-hospital). This heterogeneity suggests that a single approach to resuscitation is not practical, but a core set of actions provides a universal strategy for achieving successful resuscitation. These actions are termed the links in the "Chain of Survival." For adults they include

• Immediate recognition of cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system
• Early CPR that emphasizes chest compressions
• Rapid defibrillation if indicated
• Effective advanced life support
• Integrated post–cardiac arrest care

When these links are implemented in an effective way, survival rates can approach 50% following witnessed out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) arrest. Unfortunately survival rates in many out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings fall far short of this figure. For example, survival rates following cardiac arrest due to VF vary from approximately 5% to 50% in both out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings. This variation in outcome underscores the opportunity for improvement in many settings.

Recognition of cardiac arrest is not always straightforward, especially for laypersons. Any confusion on the part of a rescuer can result in a delay or failure to activate the emergency response system or to start CPR. Precious time is lost if bystanders are too confused to act. Therefore, these adult BLS Guidelines focus on recognition of cardiac arrest with an appropriate set of rescuer actions. Once the lay bystander recognizes that the victim is unresponsive, that bystander must immediately activate (or send someone to activate) the emergency response system. Once the healthcare provider recognizes that the victim is unresponsive with no breathing or no normal breathing (ie, only gasping) the healthcare provider will activate the emergency response system. After activation, rescuers should immediately begin CPR.

Early CPR can improve the likelihood of survival, and yet CPR is often not provided until the arrival of professional emergency responders. Chest compressions are an especially critical component of CPR because perfusion during CPR depends on these compressions. Therefore, chest compressions should be the highest priority and the initial action when starting CPR in the adult victim of sudden cardiac arrest. The phrase "push hard and push fast" emphasizes some of these critical components of chest compression. High-quality CPR is important not only at the onset but throughout the course of resuscitation. Defibrillation and advanced care should be interfaced in a way that minimizes any interruption in CPR.

Rapid defibrillation is a powerful predictor of successful resuscitation following VF SCA. Efforts to reduce the interval from collapse to defibrillation can potentially improve survival in both out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings. Depending on the setting and circumstances, earlier defibrillation may be achieved by a variety of strategies that include rescuers who are laypersons, nontraditional first responders, police, emergency medical services (EMS) professionals, and hospital professionals. One of these strategies is the use of an AED. The AED correctly assesses heart rhythm, enabling a rescuer who is not trained in heart rhythm interpretation to accurately provide a potentially lifesaving shock to a victim of SCA.

Immediate recognition and activation, early CPR, and rapid defibrillation (when appropriate) are the first three BLS links in the adult Chain of Survival. BLS care in the out-of-hospital setting is often provided by laypersons who may be involved in a resuscitation attempt only once in their lives. Thus, creating an effective strategy to translate BLS skills to real-world circumstances presents a challenge. This section updates the adult BLS guidelines with the goal of incorporating new scientific information while acknowledging the challenges of real-world application. Everyone, regardless of training or experience, can potentially be a lifesaving rescuer.

The rest of this chapter is organized in sections that address the emergency response system, adult BLS sequence, adult BLS skills, use of an AED, special resuscitation situations, and the quality of BLS. The "Adult BLS Sequence" section provides an overview and an abridged version of the BLS sequence. The "Adult BLS Skills" section provides greater detail regarding individual CPR skills and more information about Hands-Only (compression-only) CPR. The "Special Resuscitation Situations" section addresses acute coronary syndromes, stroke, hypothermia, and foreign body airway obstruction. Because of increasing interest in monitoring and ensuring the quality of CPR, the last section focuses on the quality of BLS.

Hands-Only (Compression-Only) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Call to Action for Bystander Response to Adults Who Experience Out-of-Hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrest

A Science Advisory for the Public From the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee

Michael R. Sayre, MD; Robert A. Berg, MD, FAHA; Diana M. Cave, RN, MSN; Richard L. Page, MD, FAHA; Jerald Potts, PhD, FAHA; Roger D. White, MD

Key Words: AHA Scientific Statement • cardiopulmonary resuscitation • death, sudden • heart arrest • resuscitation

Introduction
Bystanders who witness the sudden collapse of an adult should activate the emergency medical services (EMS) system and provide high-quality chest compressions by pushing hard and fast in the middle of the victim’s chest, with minimal interruptions. This recommendation is based on evaluation of recent scientific studies and consensus of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Committee. This science advisory is published to amend and clarify the "2005 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC)" for bystanders who witness an adult out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest.

Ten years ago, the AHA commissioned a working group of resuscitation scientists to reappraise the Association’s inclusion of ventilations in the recommended sequence for bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The working group evaluated peer-reviewed reports of laboratory and human research and summarized their findings in a 1997 statement. The key conclusion of that statement was that "Current guidelines for performing mouth-to-mouth ventilation during CPR should not be changed at this time."

In the animal studies cited in the 1997 statement, when ventricular fibrillation arrest was of short (under 6 minutes) duration, the addition of rescue ventilations to chest compressions did not improve outcome compared with chest compressions alone (LOE 6*). Analysis of human data from a national out-of-hospital CPR registry documented no survival advantage to ventilations plus compressions compared with the provision of chest compressions alone during bystander resuscitation (LOE 4*). Although these studies were not deemed sufficient to justify the elimination of ventilations from the bystander CPR sequence, the 1997 statement strongly encouraged further research that would focus on "...the timing, rate, and depth [of ventilations] as well as conditions under which respiratory assistance should be used." The statement also recommended "...more research on real-world obstacles to learning, remembering, and actually performing CPR..." In addition, the statement contained a secondary conclusion that "...provision of chest compression without mouth-to-mouth ventilation is far better than not attempting resuscitation at all."

The AHA’s recent Guidelines for CPR and ECC have reflected the primary and secondary conclusions of the 1997 statement: "Laypersons should be encouraged to do compression-only CPR if they are unable or unwilling to provide rescue breaths (Class IIa), although the best method of CPR is compressions coordinated with ventilations." In addition, the Guidelines have recommended compression-only CPR for dispatcher-assisted instructions for untrained bystanders."

The "2005 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC" noted the need to increase the prevalence and quality of bystander CPR. The Guidelines and training materials emphasized the importance of the delivery of high-quality chest compressions, that is, compressions of adequate rate and depth with full-chest recoil and minimal interruptions. To limit the frequency of interruptions, these Guidelines recommended an increased compression-to-ventilation ratio of 30:2 for adult victims. In addition, the AHA courses increased student practice of high-quality chest compressions with interruptions (including interruptions to deliver rescue breaths) limited to 10 seconds or less.

The purpose of this science advisory is to clarify and elaborate on the "2005 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC," with a summary of research published since 2005. In this advisory, the studies that were reviewed in preparation for the AHA’s 2000 and 2005 CPR and ECC guidelines are denoted with an asterisk (*). The peer-reviewed studies that have been published since the "2005 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC" update are denoted by a double asterisk (**). This advisory uses the Level of Evidence classification scheme developed for the "2005 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC."

Chest Compression Rates During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Are Suboptimal

A Prospective Study During In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Benjamin S. Abella, MD, MPhil; Nathan Sandbo, MD; Peter Vassilatos, MS; Jason P. Alvarado, BA; Nicholas O’Hearn, RN, MSN; Herbert N. Wigder, MD; Paul Hoffman, CRT; Kathleen Tynus, MD; Terry L. Vanden Hoek, MD; Lance B. Becker, MD

From the Emergency Resuscitation Center and Section of Emergency Medicine (B.S.A., J.P.A., T.L.V.H., L.B.B.), Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care (N.S.), and Department of Critical Care (N.O.), University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, Ill; Department of Computer Science (P.V.), University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill; Department of Emergency Medicine (H.N.W.) and Respiratory Care Services (P.H.), Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Ill; and Department of Internal Medicine (K.T.), MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn, Ill.

Correspondence to Dr L.B. Becker, University of Chicago Hospitals, Section of Emergency Medicine, 5841 S Maryland Ave, MC 5068, Chicago, IL 60637. E-mail lbecker@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu

Received June 23, 2004; revision received October 8, 2004; accepted October 22, 2004.

Abstract
Background— Recent data highlight a vital link between well-performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and survival after cardiac arrest; however, the quality of CPR as actually performed by trained healthcare providers is largely unknown. We sought to measure in-hospital chest compression rates and to determine compliance with published international guidelines.

Methods and Results— We developed and validated a handheld recording device to measure chest compression rate as a surrogate for CPR quality. A prospective observational study of adult cardiac arrests was performed at 3 hospitals from April 2002 to October 2003. Resuscitations were witnessed by trained observers using a customized personal digital assistant programmed to store the exact time of each chest compression, allowing offline calculation of compression rates at serial time points. In 97 arrests, data from 813 minutes during which chest compressions were delivered were analyzed in 30-second time segments. In 36.9% of the total number of segments, compression rates were <80 compressions per minute (cpm), and 21.7% had rates <70 cpm. Higher chest compression rates were significantly correlated with initial return of spontaneous circulation (mean chest compression rates for initial survivors and nonsurvivors, 90±17 and 79±18 cpm, respectively; P=0.0033).

Conclusions— In-hospital chest compression rates were below published resuscitation recommendations, and suboptimal compression rates in our study correlated with poor return of spontaneous circulation. CPR quality is likely a critical determinant of survival after cardiac arrest, suggesting the need for routine measurement, monitoring, and feedback systems during actual resuscitation.

Key Words: cardiopulmonary resuscitation • death, sudden • heart arrest