Part 6: electrical therapies: automated external defibrillators, defibrillation, cardioversion, and pacing: 2010 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

Circulation. 2010 Nov 2;122(18 Suppl 3):S706-19. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.970954.

Abstract

The recommendations for electrical therapies described in this section are designed to improve survival from SCA and life-threatening arrhythmias. Whenever defibrillation is attempted, rescuers must coordinate high-quality CPR with defibrillation to minimize interruptions in chest compressions and to ensure immediate resumption of chest compressions after shock delivery. The high first-shock efficacy of newer biphasic defibrillators led to the recommendation of single shocks plus immediate CPR instead of 3-shock sequences that were recommended prior to 2005 to treat VF. Further data are needed to refine recommendations for energy levels for defibrillation and cardioversion using biphasic waveforms.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • American Heart Association*
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / methods*
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / standards
  • Cardiology / methods
  • Cardiology / standards
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / methods*
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / standards
  • Defibrillators* / standards
  • Electric Countershock / methods*
  • Electric Countershock / standards
  • Emergency Medical Services / methods
  • Emergency Medical Services / standards
  • Heart Arrest / diagnosis
  • Heart Arrest / therapy
  • Humans
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic* / standards
  • Time Factors
  • United States