Current resuscitation methods, although occasionally effective, rarely perf
orm as well as initially anticipated. Some of the disappointment can be att
ributed to the difficulty of the task for many, including both professional
and lay first responders. Significant attention has been paid recently to
the need to simplify both the technique and the teaching of resuscitation.
In considering simplification of the current resuscitation scheme, a logica
l start is an honest reappraisal of the importance and priorities of each o
f the once sacrosanct ABCs, specifically, establishment of an Airway, artif
icial Breathing (mouth-to-mouth breathing), and chest compressions for temp
orary Circulation,
Experimental data continue to accumulate indicating that most important wit
hin this triad is circulation. Adequate oxygen exists within the blood duri
ng at least the first 10 mins of cardiac arrest, If circulation is provided
to distribute such oxygen, no survival disadvantage results with chest com
pression-only basic life support (BLS) efforts, Even a totally occluded air
way during the first 6 mins of cardiac arrest does not compromise survival
if reasonable circulation is provided with chest compressions.
Clinical studies support the same conclusion that what most influences surv
ival in any BLS effort is circulation, not ventilation, Belgium investigato
rs have shown equal survival rates among those treated with chest compressi
ons plus ventilation and those who received chest compressions alone. Telep
hone dispatcher-guided BLS cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has likewise
shown no survival disadvantage to chest compression-only CPR when compared
with telephone-guided standard BLS CPR,
Based on this reasoning, a new simplified BLS method has been proposed. "St
aged" CPR consists of a strategy to Initially teach laypersons a simplified
approach to BLS, which requires only chest compressions and not mouth-to-m
outh breathing. "Bronze" CPR, in which chest compression-only BLS is taught
, was compared with the standard European Resuscitation Council BLS course
for laypersons, Manikin "exit testing" at course completion has revealed si
gnificant advantages of the simplified approach compared with standard CPR
courses for the lay public.