New CPR guidelines released

Now that new guidelines for CPR and ECC have been released, does that mean the "old" guidelines and the "old" way of performing CPR are not safe or effective?

A: The recommendations in the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC confirm the safety and effectiveness of many existing approaches, acknowledge that some may not be optimal, and introduce new treatments that have undergone intensive evaluation. These new recommendations do not imply that care involving the use of earlier guidelines is either unsafe or ineffective. This includes providing CPR using the A-B-C sequence. People should continue to perform CPR just as they were last trained and follow the prompts of the AED that they are using.

Q: When will the new guidelines for CPR go into effect since new materials are not yet available?

A: This month, 2010, AHA will begin conducting official Guidelines Instructor Updates, during which materials will be provided to instructors that allow them to integrate new science into the current courses they are teaching. Until instructors receive these materials, they should continue to teach the same science they have been teaching using the current materials.

To view the complete American Heart Association guidelines, click here.