Palmo Anest

American Vs The rest of the world again???

Well, I posted earlier that the new resuscitation guideline by both AHA and ERC is out on 28th Nov 2005.

As usual, there's some difference in both the guidelines. Let's have a look at the algorithm:

For the Adult BLS, the European said:

If he is not breathing normally, send someone for help or, if you are on your own, leave the victim and alert the ambulance service; return and start chest compression...

The reason is for the witnessed suddent collapsed in an adult, most of it is cardiac origin and restore circulation is most important since the body will still have enough oxygen saturation for the first minutes. If it's drowning or trauma victims then we can give rescue breath first.

And the American said:

...if he or she is not breathing, give rescue breaths.

But they (the American)also went on and said:

During the first minutes of VF SCA, rescue breaths are probably not as important as chest compressions113 because the oxygen level in the blood remains high for the first several minutes after cardiac arrest.

The same goes to Child BLS, European said 5 rescue breaths before the compression cycle, American said 2 rescue breaths.

So which guideline are we in Malaysia are following? I'm still waiting for IJN and YJM's CPR coordinator to reply my enquiry by email... Probably like most M'sian institutes, they don't really read/reply emails.

The last CPR manual printed by Institute Jantung Negara (Follows Guideline 2000) was the one used by AHA. So I supposed we are going to follows the American again.

I know it doesn't really makes a difference during in-hospital CPR coz I'll usually jump on the patient first while the staff nurses prepair the ambu bag and ETT for intubation. But it'll be a different story while teaching BLS.

My CPR trainee (and myself together with my team of fascilitators) were quite confused during our CPR course last week. Most of the trainees had had previous CPR training (either pre 2000 or been following guideline 2000) so it takes quite sometime to hammer the idea into their practice.

Any of the readers here involved in the decision making for your local guidelines? Care to share your opinion? Thank you.

posted by LT @ 1:14 AM