BACKGROUND: Out of hospital cardiac arrest victims contribute significantly to adult mortality figures but are encountered infrequently by most general practitioners and their staff. A number of scientific organisations produce guidelines for the basic and advanced management of cardiac arrest. OBJECTIVE: To review the management principles for basic and advanced adult cardiac life support measures for cardiac arrest. DISCUSSION: General practitioners are required to manage cardiac arrest victims infrequently. The initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the rapid defibrillation of suitable cardiac rhythms determine a favourable outcome. All staff working at a surgery must be skilled in basic life support. The GP needs an understanding of advanced life support principles.
BACKGROUND: Out of hospital cardiac arrest victims contribute significantly to adult mortality figures but are encountered infrequently by most general practitioners and their staff. A number of scientific organisations produce guidelines for the basic and advanced management of cardiac arrest. OBJECTIVE: To review the management principles for basic and advanced adult cardiac life support measures for cardiac arrest. DISCUSSION: General practitioners are required to manage cardiac arrest victims infrequently. The initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the rapid defibrillation of suitable cardiac rhythms determine a favourable outcome. All staff working at a surgery must be skilled in basic life support. The GP needs an understanding of advanced life support principles.
Authors: Sabina Hunziker; Franziska Tschan; Norbert K Semmer; Roger Zobrist; Martin Spychiger; Marc Breuer; Patrick R Hunziker; Stephan C Marsch Journal: BMC Emerg Med Date: 2009-02-14