2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

We are pleased to share that the AHA has published the 2025 Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) — a critical update for anyone involved in resuscitation, emergency care, and health systems. cpr.heart.org Why this matters • These Guidelines reflect the latest evidence and have been updated to improve survival rates and neurological outcomes following cardiac arrest. • They emphasize a systems approach combining education, high-quality care, and local implementation of the “Chain of Survival”. • They address lay rescuers, professional responders, special populations (pediatric, neonatal, pregnant) and a broad range of scenarios, making them truly comprehensive. Key take-aways • A consolidated 6-link Chain of Survival for adult OHCA, IHCA and pediatric/cardio events, plus a new Newborn Chain of Care. • Clearer terminology to promote action: “lay rescuer” instead of “bystander”; breaths vs ventilations; ROC vs ROSC. • Enhanced role of public policy & community action: use of naloxone during respiratory/cardiac arrest, mobile tech/mass media to boost lay rescuer response. • Updated recommendations for both adult and pediatric populations (e.g., in infants: eliminate 2-finger compressions; in adults: back-blows as the first step for conscious airway obstruction). • Emphasis on post-resuscitation care, survivorship and rehabilitation — underlining that survival alone is not enough. • Strong focus on equity: The guidelines acknowledge persistent disparities in cardiac arrest outcomes and commit to advancing equity in access, training and outcomes. What this means for us Whether you’re in clinical practice, EMS, hospital administration, education or system design, these guidelines provide a forward-looking framework to shape protocols, training programs, system quality improvement, and community readiness. For organizations, this is the moment to review your CPR/ECC protocols, ensure your workforce is up to date, and embed community engagement (including lay rescuer programs) in your system of care. Call to action I encourage all professionals in critical care, emergency services, system design and education to review the full executive summary (link below) and identify at least two implementation opportunities in your organization or community over the coming year. Thank you to all the authors, reviewers, and coordinators who made this milestone possible and to the many dedicated healthcare professionals, lay rescuers and systems-builders committed to improving cardiac arrest outcomes. New AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC 2025.

Link to read more: https://cpr.heart.org/