New 2005 CPR Guidelines Emphasize A Back-to-Basics Approach

New 2005 CPR Guidelines Emphasize A Back-to-Basics Approach

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released new guidelines to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on those who have suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. According to the new guidelines, a rescuer should focus on chest compressions and rely less on breathing into the patient's mouth. For every two breaths, the chest compressions should be 30, as opposed to the 15 compressions recommended earlier. The recommendations are based on an international review conducted by an AHA panel. A team of 380 researchers analyzed data from more than 20,000 human and animal model studies and found that greater chest compressions led to increased coronary and cerebral blood flow. The new 30:2 ratio is the same for adults, children, and infants. This will make remembering CPR much easier for those who perform it very infrequently.

The ratio remains 15-2 when two emergency personnel are giving CPR to a child or infant, but not a newborn. That procedure remains 3:1 or 90 compressions and 30 breaths per minute.

New guidelines at a glance

30 compressions to 2 ventilations for adult, child, and infant CPR
Allow the chest to fully recoil between each compression
Try to minimize interruptions in chest compressions
With an AED, shock once then immediately start CPR for two minutes
Lay rescuers no longer assess for signs of circulation prior to compressions
Patients with signs of a heart attack should immediately chew a 325mg aspirin and call 911

Some aspects of the CPR guidelines have not changed. The American Heart Association still recommends a compression rate of 100 compressions a minute for adults and children. Compressions on an infant should be performed at more than 100 per minute. The new ratio of 30:2 should make meeting these 100 compression markers much easier because of fewer interruptions for breaths.

Overall, the guidelines -- which also urge laypeople to take a CPR course -- emphasize a "back-to-basics" approach, meaning call 911 and start doing good chest compressions as soon as possible.

Django Belote is a CPR instructor for Oklahoma CPR. He is a nationally registered EMT-Paramedic and a PharmD Candidate at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.