Standards and Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC)

Abstract

THIS publication is the product of the 1985 National Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) and represents an updating of the standards and guidelines that were published in 1974¹and updated once since, in 1980.²It is intended for use as a guide for the proper training in and performance of CPR and ECC. Like the 1974 and 1980 standards and guidelines, these represent a consensus of experts from a variety of disciplines. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and ECC are dynamic disciplines, however, that continue to develop through ongoing experience and research. Thus, there is no intent to limit the adoption of new advances as they emerge; deviations from these standards and guidelines may occur when a trained physician proficient in CPR and ECC recognizes that such is in the best interests of the patient. Part I: Introduction A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Twenty-five years have passed since