2. European
Resuscitation
Council
BASIC LIFE SUPPORT
SEQUENCES OF PROCEDURES PERFORMED TO
RESTORE THE CIRCULATION OF OXYGENATED
BLOOD AFTER A SUDDEN PULMONARY AND/OR
CARDIAC ARREST
involves
CHEST COMPRESSIONS AND PULMONARY
VENTILATION PERFORMED BY ANYONE WHO
KNOWS HOW TO DO IT, ANYWHERE, IMMEDIATELY,
WITHOUT ANY OTHER EQUIPMENT
4. European
Resuscitation
Council
OBJECTIVES
Rescuer should be able to demonstrate:
– How to assess the collapsed victim
– How to perform chest compression and
rescue breathing
– How to place an unconscious breathing victim
in the recovery position.
5. European
Resuscitation
Council
BACKGROUND
• Approximately 700,000 cardiac arrests per year
in Europe . Indian statistics ?
• Survival to hospital discharge presently
approximately 5-10%
• Bystander CPR vital intervention before arrival
of emergency services – doubles survival from
sudden cardiac arrest
• Early resuscitation and prompt defibrillation
(within 1-2 minutes) can result in >60% survival
18. European
Resuscitation
Council
AGONAL BREATHING
• Occurs shortly after the heart stops
in up to 40% of cardiac arrests
• Described as barely, heavy, noisy or
gasping breathing
• Recognise as a sign of cardiac arrest
Erroneous information can result in withholding CPR
from cardiac arrest victim
21. European
Resuscitation
Council
• Place the heel of one hand in
the centre of the chest
• Place other hand on top
• Interlock fingers
• Compress the chest
– Rate 100 min-1
– Depth 4-5 cm
– Equal compression : relaxation
• When possible change CPR
operator every 2 min
CHEST COMPRESSIONS
30. European
Resuscitation
Council
FOREIGN-BODY AIRWAY
OBSTRUCTION (FBAO)
Approximately 16 000 adults and children receive treatment for
FBAO in the UK yearly
SIGNS MILD obstruction SEVERE obstruction
“Are you choking?” “YES” Unable to speak,
may nod
Other signs Can speak, cough,
breathe
Can not
breathe/wheezy
breathing/silent
attempts to cough/
unconsciousness
34. European
Resuscitation
Council
Guideline changes for BLS
WHY? Simplifying guidelines to aid retention of BLS skills
To reflect the greater importance placed on chest compression
To reduce the number and duration of pauses
1) Make a diagnosis of cardiac arrest if a victim is unresponsive and not
breathing normally.
2) Teach rescuers to place their hands in the centre of the chest, rather than to
spend more time using the ‘rib margin’ method.
3) Give each rescue breath over 1 sec rather than 2 sec.
4) Use a ratio of compressions to ventilations of 30:2 for all adult victims of
sudden cardiac arrest. Use this same ratio for children when attended by a
lay rescuer.
5) For an adult victim, omit the initial 2 rescue breaths and give
30compressions immediately after cardiac arrest is established.
35. European
Resuscitation
Council
Special circumstances
Child
needs expertise and training
Ideally, pediatric resuscitation team
knowledge of equipment & doses for a child
Trauma
multidisciplinary trauma team
skilled in RSI and intubation
Pregnancy
Early involvement of an obstetrician and
neonatologist
Possibility of Peri-mortem Caesarean section
36. European
Resuscitation
Council
Training of Health Personnel
• regular resuscitation training
• should be able to:
recognize the arrest
summon help
start CPR using airway adjuncts, and
attempt defibrillation within 3 minutes of
collapse. This is the minimum standard.
• New staff should have resuscitation training
as part of their induction programme.