What's new in BLS?

What's new in BLS (Basic Life Support) primarily refers to the major 2025 updates from the American Heart Association (AHA), focusing on a single, unified Chain of Survival, clearer guidelines for dispatchers, revised algorithms (like 5 back blows/5 abdominal thrusts for choking), emphasis on naloxone use, and new training scenarios that demand faster decision-making, all aiming for better patient outcomes through earlier, higher-quality CPR and defibrillation.

What are the changes in BLS 2025?

The 2025 AHA/AAP Pediatric BLS Guidelines introduce major updates: no more 2-finger compressions in infants, immediate AED use with pediatric attenuators, refined foreign-body airway obstruction management, and reaffirmation that breaths matter for pediatric CPR.

Is it still 30 compressions to 2 breaths?

Give two breaths after every 30 chest compressions. If two people are doing CPR, give 1 to 2 breaths after every 15 chest compressions. Continue CPR until you see signs of life or until medical help arrives.

What is the newest method of CPR?

New Compression-to-Ventilation Emphasis

For adults, the focus remains on high-quality chest compressions. However, there's now increased emphasis on timely rescue breaths for trained rescuers, especially in non-cardiac arrest situations like drowning or opioid overdose.

Does CPR require breaths anymore?

Hands-Only CPR performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as CPR with breaths in the first few minutes of an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest for an adult victim. If you do not know how to administer CPR with breaths, don't be afraid to act in an emergency; your actions can only help.

3c: 2020 BLS Guideline Changes (2026)

Why is mouth-to-mouth no longer recommended?

Why is mouth-to-mouth no longer recommended in many CPR guidelines? Mouth-to-mouth, or rescue breaths, is not advised for untrained bystanders. It can lead to hesitation and delays in starting chest compressions. We support hands-only CPR for adults with sudden cardiac arrest.

What are the 3 R's of CPR?

The 3 Rs of CPR are Recognize, Respond, and Resuscitate, providing a simple framework for bystanders during cardiac emergencies: first, Recognize the signs of cardiac arrest (unresponsiveness, no normal breathing); next, Respond by calling emergency services (like 911) and getting an AED; and finally, Resuscitate by performing chest compressions and rescue breaths until help arrives. Mastering these steps ensures swift, effective action, significantly improving survival chances.
 

Do 5 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths?

Yes, performing 5 cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths is a standard CPR procedure, especially for single rescuers on children or infants, taking about two minutes and establishing circulation before calling emergency services if you haven't already. This "30:2" ratio means one cycle is 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths, and doing 5 cycles is a common benchmark for initial care, ensuring blood is oxygenated before reassessing or getting help.
 

What is the first drug of choice in CPR?

Epinephrine remains the drug of choice for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The aim of the present study is to assess whether the combination of vasopressin and epinephrine, given their different mechanisms of action, provides better results than epinephrine alone in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Is it still ABC for CPR?

The 2010 CPR Guidelines rearranged the order of CPR steps.

Now, instead of A-B-C, which stands for airway and breathing first followed by chest compressions, the American Heart Association wants rescuers to practice C-A-B: chest compressions first, then airway and breathing. Some have asked, why did CPR change?

What are common CPR mistakes?

Not knowing how deep chest compressions should be is easily one of the most common CPR mistakes. In addition, shallow chest compressions aren't helpful either. In general, chest compressions should be around 2 to 2.4 inches deep for adults.

Should I stop CPR if the person vomits?

Recommended Procedure: “For these reasons, we believe it is appropriate to recommend the following: in case of vomiting, turn the victim onto their side, perform a finger sweep if needed, return the victim to their back, and restart CPR with chest compressions, beginning a new cycle regardless of the number of ...

What is the ratio for 1 person CPR?

CPR ratio for one-person CPR is 30 compressions to 2 breaths ▪ Single rescuer: use 2 fingers, 2 thumb-encircling technique or the heel of 1 hand. After each compression, allow complete chest recoil.

What is the new choking technique?

New guidance on choking in conscious children and adults recommends alternating five back blows followed by five abdominal thrusts, until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.

What are the 7 steps of BLS?

The 7 steps of Basic Life Support (BLS) generally follow a sequence: 1. Check Scene Safety, 2. Check Responsiveness, 3. Call 911/Get AED, 4. Open Airway, 5. Check Breathing, 6. Perform Chest Compressions, and 7. Give Rescue Breaths, then repeat the cycle until help arrives, focusing on C-A-B (Compressions, Airway, Breathing) after the initial assessment.
 

Is child CPR 30 to 2 or 15 to 2?

For one rescuer—if it's just you—the compression-to-ventilation ratio is the same as an adult, 30:2 (30 compressions, 2 breaths of air). If there are two rescuers then the ratio changes to 15:2 (15 compressions, 2 breaths of air).

What are the 3 emergency drugs?

To enable you to deal with medical emergencies, ensure that you have immediate access to the following drugs [2,3]: Adrenaline, 1 ml ampoules or pre-filled syringes of 1:1000 solution for intramuscular injection. Aspirin, 300 mg dispersible tablets. Glucagon, for intramuscular injection of 1 mg.

What are the 4 drugs for heart failure?

The four main drug classes for heart failure (HFrEF) are ARNIs (Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitors) or ACEi/ARBs, beta-blockers, MRAs (Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists), and SGLT2 inhibitors, often called the "fantastic four" for significantly improving survival and reducing hospitalizations by lessening the heart's workload and fluid buildup. Diuretics are also used to manage excess fluid, and other drugs can target specific symptoms. 

Why is adrenaline given during CPR?

Purpose of review: Epinephrine is the primary drug administered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to reverse cardiac arrest. Epinephrine increases arterial blood pressure and coronary perfusion during CPR via alpha-1-adrenoceptor agonist effects.

How many beats per minute is CPR?

For effective CPR, the recommended compression rate is 100 to 120 beats per minute (BPM), a rhythm often matched by popular songs like "Stayin' Alive" (Bee Gees) or "Baby Shark" to help rescuers maintain the correct tempo and ensure vital blood flow to the brain and organs during cardiac arrest, according to organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Red Cross.
 

What is the Sylvester method?

Sylvester's Method

A pillow is placed under the patient's shoulder and neck, and the doctor then kneels near his head. The doctor grabs the patient's wrist to pull his arms up, which in turn causes him to inhale. The arms are bent forward to put pressure on the patient which in turn causes the patient to exhale.

How often do you do a pulse check in a code?

Check pulse every 2 minutes; if no pulse, start CPR. If possible opioid overdose, administer naloxone if available per protocol. Resume CPR immediately for 2 minutes (until prompted by AED to allow rhythm check).

Why is CPR called Kiss of Life?

Peter Safar, an Austrian anaesthetist, developed a way to do this in the 1950s. He established a sequence of tilting a person's head back to open up their airways, followed by mouth-to-mouth breathing, known as the 'kiss of life', and chest compressions.

What is the 3 C's in CPR?

The 3 Cs of CPR (and first aid) are Check, Call, and Care (or Compress for Hands-Only CPR), a simple mnemonic to guide emergency response: first, Check the scene and victim for safety and responsiveness; then, Call 911 (or your local emergency number) and get an AED; and finally, Care for the person by giving CPR (chest compressions) until help arrives.