Donate Help Contact The AHA Sign In Home
American Heart Association
Circulation
Search: search_blue_button Advanced Search
Circulation. 2000;102:I-86-I-89

This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Related Collections
Right arrow AHA Statements and Guidelines

(Circulation. 2000;102:I-86.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.


ECC Guidelines

Part 6: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

Section 1: Introduction to ACLS 2000: Overview of Recommended Changes in ACLS From the Guidelines 2000 Conference


*    Evidence-Based International Resuscitation Guidelines
up arrowTop
*Evidence-Based International...
down arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
down arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
down arrowVentilation
down arrowDefibrillation
down arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
down arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 
At the Second American Heart Association International Evidence Evaluation Conference and the international Guidelines 2000 Conference on CPR and ECC, the high level of participation of international experts changed profoundly the way all future resuscitation guidelines will be developed. Future resuscitation guidelines cannot achieve validity and consensus without international input. Enrichment comes when experts from different countries—with different systems, different personnel, and different resources—share their ideas, perspectives, and experiences. Our guidelines are no longer just descriptive—"This is how we do it here"—but now can also be prescriptive—"This is how we should be doing it in the future."

The experts at the conferences reached a strong consensus to change a number of the CPR and ECC guidelines. Large portions of the earlier guidelines remain unaltered or have been refined on the basis of new data. Many topics, however, have been updated to reflect consensus opinions developed according to the principles of evidence-based medicine. While the evidence-based approach constrains the number of new guidelines endorsed, it clarifies perspectives on the evidence reviewed—and on the amount of research still needed.


*    New Topics, New Problems, New Guidelines
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
*New Topics, New Problems,...
down arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
down arrowVentilation
down arrowDefibrillation
down arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
down arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 
Because of rapid development of new therapies and strategies, the sections on acute myocardial infarction (MI) (now acute coronary syndromes) and stroke have undergone major change. We have expanded the section on special resuscitation situations for experienced providers. This includes new topics that are known to be important causes of cardiac arrest but that we have not addressed before, for example, cardiac arrest and altered vital signs caused by drug overdoses and toxins, life-threatening electrolyte abnormalities, near-fatal asthma, and anaphylaxis. These problems challenge ACLS providers all over the world.

This introductory ACLS section discusses these changes in recommendations, based on evidence review and consensus opinion. The reasons for the class recommendations and the evidence-based approach are reviewed briefly with comments from the Evidence Evaluation Conference and the Guidelines 2000 Conference. The full details of this intense process will be published in the Proceedings of the Guidelines 2000 Conference and in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine.

The new recommendations include the following:


*    Pharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
*Pharmacology of Resuscitation
down arrowVentilation
down arrowDefibrillation
down arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
down arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Ventilation
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
*Ventilation
down arrowDefibrillation
down arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
down arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Defibrillation
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
*Defibrillation
down arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
down arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Public Access Defibrillation Programs
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
*Public Access Defibrillation...
down arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Acute Coronary Syndromes
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
up arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
*Acute Coronary Syndromes
down arrowStroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Stroke
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
up arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
up arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
*Stroke
down arrowPostresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Postresuscitation Care
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
up arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
up arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
up arrowStroke
*Postresuscitation Care
down arrowToxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Toxicology
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
up arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
up arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
up arrowStroke
up arrowPostresuscitation Care
*Toxicology
down arrowOverview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 


*    Overview of ACLS
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
up arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
up arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
up arrowStroke
up arrowPostresuscitation Care
up arrowToxicology
*Overview of ACLS
down arrowBLS and Early Defibrillation
 
ACLS includes the knowledge and skills necessary to provide the appropriate early treatment for cardiopulmonary arrest. Additional important areas include the proper management of situations likely to lead to cardiac arrest and stabilization of the patient in the early period following successful resuscitation. ACLS includes (1) basic life support; (2) use of advanced equipment and special techniques for establishing and maintaining effective ventilation and circulation; (3) ECG monitoring, 12-lead ECG interpretation, and arrhythmia recognition; (4) establishment and maintenance of intravenous access; (5) therapies for the treatment of patients with cardiac or respiratory arrest (including stabilization in the postarrest phase); (6) treatment of patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes, including acute MI; and (7) strategies for rapid assessment and treatment with tPA of eligible stroke patients. ACLS includes the knowledge, training, and judgment required to use these skills and the ability to perform them.

Communities should provide rapid and effective ACLS. Every community should strive continually to implement the Chain of Survival and provide as many high-quality ACLS components as possible, in particular very early defibrillation using AEDs (see "Part 4: The Automated External Defibrillator: Key Link in the Chain of Survival") and noninvasive airway support.

BLS and ACLS should be integrated into a community as part of an EMS system. This system should have sufficient laypersons trained in BLS to ensure immediate ventilatory and circulatory assistance to any cardiac arrest victim within 5 minutes and immediate entry of that victim into the EMS system. We strongly encourage implementation of public access defibrillation in high-risk settings. In turn the emergency care system, under medical supervision, should provide rescue personnel adequately trained in BLS and ACLS to respond promptly when summoned. ACLS must be continued either until the patient has been admitted to a medical facility capable of continuing care or until life support efforts have been terminated by order of the responsible physician or by a properly executed advance directive.

The same level of training, commitment, and medical supervision should be applied to in-hospital ACLS. In particular, prompt BLS and rapid defibrillation should be available in all areas of a healthcare facility (Class IIa).


*    BLS and Early Defibrillation
up arrowTop
up arrowEvidence-Based International...
up arrowNew Topics, New Problems,...
up arrowPharmacology of Resuscitation
up arrowVentilation
up arrowDefibrillation
up arrowPublic Access Defibrillation...
up arrowAcute Coronary Syndromes
up arrowStroke
up arrowPostresuscitation Care
up arrowToxicology
up arrowOverview of ACLS
*BLS and Early Defibrillation
 
For people in cardiac arrest, rapid defibrillation in <5 minutes is a high-priority goal. Community and in-hospital ACLS must be supported by a well-established BLS program that can provide immediate emergency CPR. The Evidence Evaluation Conference and Guidelines 2000 Conference again affirmed and endorsed the principle of early defibrillation from 1991—the recommendation that healthcare providers with a duty to respond to cardiac arrest should be educated, equipped, and authorized to perform automated external defibrillation (Class IIa). The ideal response time is achieved when people collapse in front of a person who has an AED. Such cases occur in many locations, and in general the survival rate can be 70% to 80%.

For respiratory arrest, airway adjuncts and ventilation devices should be readily available. In cardiac arrest, the need for early defibrillation is clear and should have the highest priority. Today, with the availability of AEDs, defibrillation is considered part of BLS. Adjunctive equipment should not divert attention or effort from basic resuscitative measures. Rescue personnel should know the indications for and techniques of using adjunctive equipment. Such equipment should be tested periodically according to prescribed regulations and each periodic test documented.


*    Footnotes
 
Circulation. 2000;102(suppl I):I-86–I-89.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
CirculationHome page
J. McCord, H. Jneid, J. E. Hollander, J. A. de Lemos, B. Cercek, P. Hsue, W. B. Gibler, E. M. Ohman, B. Drew, G. Philippides, et al.
Management of Cocaine-Associated Chest Pain and Myocardial Infarction: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association Acute Cardiac Care Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology
Circulation, April 8, 2008; 117(14): 1897 - 1907.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Emerg. Med. J.Home page
N M DeIorio
Continuous end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring for confirmation of endotracheal tube placement is neither widely available nor consistently applied by emergency physicians
Emerg. Med. J., July 1, 2005; 22(7): 490 - 493.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
G. A. Ewy
Cardiocerebral Resuscitation: The New Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Circulation, April 26, 2005; 111(16): 2134 - 2142.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
Committee Members, C. Blomstrom-Lundqvist, M. M. Scheinman, E. M. Aliot, J. S. Alpert, H. Calkins, A. J. Camm, W. B. Campbell, D. E. Haines, K. H. Kuck, et al.
ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines for the management of patients with supraventricular arrhythmias --executive summary: a report of the American college of cardiology/American heart association task force on practice guidelines and the European society of cardiology committee for practice guidelines (writing committee to develop guidelines for the management of patients with supraventricular arrhythmias) Developed in Collaboration with NASPE-Heart Rhythm Society
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., October 15, 2003; 42(8): 1493 - 1531.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
C. Blomstrom-Lundqvist, M. M. Scheinman, E. M. Aliot, J. S. Alpert, H. Calkins, A. J. Camm, W. B. Campbell, D. E. Haines, K. H. Kuck, B. B. Lerman, et al.
ACC/AHA/ESC Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Supraventricular Arrhythmias*--Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Develop Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Supraventricular Arrhythmias)
Circulation, October 14, 2003; 108(15): 1871 - 1909.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
PediatricsHome page
A. A. Theodorou, J. A. Gutierrez, and R. A. Berg
Fire Attributable to a Defibrillation Attempt in a Neonate
Pediatrics, September 1, 2003; 112(3): 677 - 679.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Br. J. Ophthalmol.Home page
P K Nagra, R Foroozan, P J Savino, I Castillo, and R C Sergott
Amiodarone induced optic neuropathy
Br. J. Ophthalmol., April 1, 2003; 87(4): 420 - 422.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Br J AnaesthHome page
S. J. Walsh, A. Bedi, and C. Miranda
Successful defibrillation in the prone position
Br. J. Anaesth., November 1, 2002; 89(5): 799 - 800.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Anesth. Analg.Home page
H. Krieter, C. Denz, C. Janke, T. Bertsch, T. Luiz, K. Ellinger, and K. van Ackern
Hypertonic-Hyperoncotic Solutions Reduce the Release of Cardiac Troponin I and S-100 After Successful Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Pigs
Anesth. Analg., October 1, 2002; 95(4): 1031 - 1036.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
BMJHome page
D. M Fatovich
Recent developments: Emergency medicine
BMJ, April 20, 2002; 324(7343): 958 - 962.
[Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Related Collections
Right arrow AHA Statements and Guidelines