Basic and advanced cardiac life support--what's new?
BACKGROUND
Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines on basic and advanced life support are amended periodically. These changes are informed by recent evidence on best practice in resuscitation medicine. In December 2010, the latest guidelines were released for implementation in 2011.


OBJECTIVE
This article outlines the key messages from the latest Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines on basic and advanced life support.


CONCLUSIONS
The latest Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines on basic and advanced life support emphasise the importance of early recognition of deterioration before cardiac arrest. Once resuscitation commences, there is a focus on early defibrillation and early chest compressions with a simplification of drug treatment. Postresuscitation phase changes emphasise early intervention to re-establish coronary artery patency and therapeutic hypothermia.
Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. hugh.grantham@flinders.edu.au
Hugh J M
HJ
Grantham
Ramanathan
R
Narendranathan
D022561:Advanced Cardiac Life Support / Q000379:methods*; D001315:Australia; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006333:Heart Failure; D006801:Humans