For the longest time, the "Good Samaritan Act" of saving lives has been greatly forgotten. While more and more people are suffering from Sudden Cardiac Arrest, there are only few bystanders who are willingly able to take the risk and save lives. To this end, the AHA or American Heart Association feel the need to simplify and revised the long standing A-B-C guideline of CPR.
If from before we always follow the traditional sequence of A-B-C or Airway, Breathing, Circulation, it has been modified to C-A-B or Chest Compression, Airway, Breathing. According to AHA, great minutes are being lost while following the traditional sequence of A-B-C due to hesitancy of giving resuscitations or lack of proper training and knowledge on how to perform proper CPR procedures. Bear in mind that seconds are of great importance when we talk about CPR, 10-15 seconds wasted can mean irreversible death.
To this new CPR guideline, it is advised to start chest compression as soon as the victim is found unresponsive or gasping with air. Compared to the traditional A-B-C technique, the new C-A-B will not waste any single moment as the first cycle of chest compression is immediately given following Airway, Breathing interventions. The stand of AHA on this issue is indeed very much practical and convenient as one no longer need to worry about how to properly open the airway of the victim or how to give complicated full breathes. For this, expect that more and more people will now practice the "Good Samaritan Act" rather than uncertainly helping the victim.
Following significant changes to the new CPR guidelines, the algorithm "Look, Listen and Feel" has also been removed. According to AHA, this obsolete algorithm is so time consuming and it wastes significant effort to revive the patient. Instead of checking the pulse of the victim, which most healthcare professionals find it very difficult and tricky, CPR should be started with 30 full compressions rather than giving 2 ventilation's. This act suggests shorter delay and full support to the heart. However one must bear in mind that proper coordination should always be employed at its best, calling the paramedics should be initiated as soon as possible.
AED units should also be used in line with this new set of CPR guidelines. If an AED unit is available on the area, one should make use of it to employ high quality resuscitation far from the very subjective "hands-on" chest compression. AEDs are very objective and they give maximum results all the time, not to mention that they also provide helpful guide for those untrained respondents.
There's also a new rule with regards to chest compression. The 1 1/2 inch depth rule has now been modified to 2 inches. AHA also noted the proper placement of hand when giving chest compression as well as minimizing all delays or pauses. These changes are made to give victims high quality chest compressions that are both effective and uncomplicated.
With this new 2010 CPR guidelines, rest assured that saving lives are now more people-friendly and legally caring. Today we don't have to think twice before performing some life saving techniques as the process had become simple and uncomplicated. With the help of new high tech life saving equipments such as AEDs and simplified version of CPR, more and more lives will be saved easy and effective. Saving lives should never be complicated but rather simple and efficient, thanks to the new CPR guidelines.
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