Guest post by Ralph Sacco, M.D., President of the AHA

Ongoing research and new advancements in science mean that health professionals are always working on ways to do things better. That’s why we at the American Heart Association issue new CPR guidelines every five years, with the latest update being released recently.

In an emergency, you want to be the person who knows what to do. Our new guidelines are making it simpler so more people will take action in an emergency — which will ultimately help save more lives. Getting bystanders to phone 9-1-1 and perform CPR is the key to increasing survival from cardiac arrest. CPR can be the difference between someone living or dying.

A few quick facts:

  • Less than one-third of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR.
  • Less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive.
  • Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

Our guidelines are the basis for CPR training for organizations around the world. We trained 13 million people worldwide last year – including healthcare professionals and members of the public.

For more than 40 years, we’ve taught the ABCs of CPR – Airway, Breathing and Compressions. Now, the American Heart Association recommends C-A-B – Compressions, Airway and Breathing. We start with the simplest step first, in part because quality chest compressions are such a critical component of CPR.

Take the time to learn about CPR.. We’re hosting a live Q&A session on Twitter to discuss the guidelines and what they mean. It’ll take place on October 21, from 2-3 p.m. ET, and feature CPR expert Dr. Michael Sayre. You can follow it from our @American_Heart Twitter feed or using the #CPRGuide hashtag.

You can also learn more about the American Heart Association’s CPR guidelines and get information on First Aid and CPR training at http://www.heart.org/cpr.

Join our discussion. Learn about CPR. Teach others. Everyone deserves a chance to live.
 

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