General Concepts of Basic Life Support
- General Concepts of Basic Life Support
- Initiating Chain of Survival
- 2025 BLS Guideline Changes
BLS for Adults
Use of Automated External Defibrillator
BLS for Children (1 to 8 years)
BLS for Infants (0 to 12 months)
AED for Children and Infants
Airway Management
Relief of Choking
BLS Skills Training
BLS Exam
2025 BLS Guideline Changes
The content contained herein is based on the most recent ILCOR publications on BLS. Recommendations for adult basic life support (BLS) from the 2025 Guidelines for CPR and ECC include the following:
- The importance of early initiation of CPR by lay rescuers has been re-emphasized. The risk of harm to the patient is low if the patient is not in cardiac arrest. Bystanders should not be afraid to start CPR even if they are not sure whether the victim is breathing or in Cardiac Arrest.
- The Pediatric and Adult Chains of Survival have been unified into a single chain, for a total of 6 steps.
- Care of the patient after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) requires close attention to oxygenation, blood pressure control, evaluation for percutaneous coronary intervention, targeted temperature management, and multimodal neuroprognostication.
- Because recovery from cardiac arrest continues long after the initial hospitalization, patients should have formal assessment and support for their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs.
- After a resuscitation, debriefing for lay rescuers, EMS providers, and hospital-based health care workers may be beneficial to support their mental health and well-being.
- Management of cardiac arrest in pregnancy focuses on maternal resuscitation, with preparation for early perimortem cesarean delivery if necessary to save the infant and improve the chances of successful resuscitation of the mother.
