The long wait is over. The AHA 2015 CPR and ECC guidelines are finally here. For the first time in many cycles, there are few changes. No, you will not have to relearn CPR, and your drug kits will not see an overhaul. The guidelines finally offer a lukewarm acceptance (“it may be reasonable”) to cardiocerebral resuscitation (aka CCR, aka passive ventilation) as a alternative for trained responders but only in witnessed arrests with shockable rhythms. Vasopressin is no longer necessary in asystole arrests, not because it is any worse than epinephrine, just because they see no point in have two drugs when one will do (for better or worse). There is a great deal of emphasis again on providing quality CPR, including a compression rate of up to 120 a minute.
The truly big and best news in the 2015 Guidelines is this will be the last 5 year update. The AHA is now going to a continuous web-based update model that will keep the guidelines as current as possible with the latest research.
“Finally, the 2015 Guidelines Update marks the beginning of a new era for the AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC, because the Guidelines will transition from a 5-year cycle of periodic revisions and updates to a Web-based format that is continuously updated. The first release of the Web-based integrated Guidelines, now available online at ECCguidelines.heart.org is based on the comprehensive 2010 Guidelines plus the 2015 Guidelines Update. Moving forward, these Guidelines will be updated by using a continuous evidence evaluation process to facilitate more rapid translation of new scientific discoveries into daily patient care.+
-2015 AHA Guidelines
Check out the guidelines for yourself at: 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guidliens
They are available for free download.
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Mortal Men: Paramedics on the Streets of Hartford
