title: [Basic Life Support: the primary ABC(D) of cardiopulmonary resuscitation].
abstract: Basic Life Support [BLS] includes both prompt recognition and immediate support of ventilation and circulation in case of respiratory or cardiac arrest. The major objective of BLS is to provide oxygen to the heart and the brain and to sustain tissue viability until definitive electrical or medical treatment [Advanced Cardiac Life Support = ACLS] can restore spontaneous circulation. BLS focuses on the primary survey A B C [D]: Airway [to open the airway]-Breath [to assess the presence or absence of spontaneous breathing and to provide ventilation]-Circulation [to assess pulselessness and to perform chest compression-Defibrillation [might perhaps no longer belong solely to ACLS because of the widespread availability of Automade External Defibrillators]. The key for successful ACLS, especially defibrillation, is the prompt initiation of correct rescue breathing, and correct chest compressions in a patient with a cardiac arrest. Promptly and optimally performed BLS is most effective and one major key to save life, thus, both family physicians and specialists must be able to administer optimal BLS-survival will be poor if one link in the chain of survival is inadequate!
authors.affiliation: Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Notfall- und Rettungsmedizin [SGNOR/SSMUS] Federazione Cantonale Ticinese Servizi Autoambulanze [FCTSA] Croce Verde Lugano, REGA, Base Ticino.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savary-Borioli
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D001775:Blood Circulation; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006336:Heart Massage; D006801:Humans; D012119:Respiration; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*