Part 5: Adult Basic Life Support 2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

Basic life support (BLS) is the foundation for saving livesfollowing cardiac arrest. Fundamental aspects of BLS include immediate recognition of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and activation of the emergency response system, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and rapid de-fibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED). Initial recognition and response to heart attack and stroke are also considered part of BLS. This section presents the 2010 adult BLS guidelines for lay rescuers and healthcare provid-ers. Key changes and continued points of emphasis from the 2005 BLS Guidelines include the following: ● Immediate recognition of SCA based on assessing unre-sponsiveness and absence of normal breathing (ie, the victim is not breathing or only gasping) ● “Look, Listen, and Feel ” removed from the BLS algorithm ● Encouraging Hands-Only (chest compression only) CP