In a radical change from the way everyday people do CPR, new recommendations urge many more chest compressions.
The revised guidelines issued Monday by the American Heart Association on cardiopulmonary resuscitation change the ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths from 15 compressions for every two rescue breaths to 30 compressions for every two rescue breaths.
And while the guidelines advocate a "back to basics" approach for the public, they recommend that emergency personnel get more high-tech by cooling cardiac arrest patients for 12 to 24 hours to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two significant studies have shown that such cooling resulted in improved survival and brain function for those who were comatose after initial resuscitation
Every two years most of us recertify our ACLS skills to be up to date on the latest cardiac resuscitation techniques. The AHA is changing the ratio to 30 compressions to two breaths. Also, some tolerable hypothermia post arrest (assuming they make it) is good for the brain.
Some more info here.
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