Current recommendations on adult resuscitation

Abstract

### Key points Cardiorespiratory arrest remains the most challenging of medical emergencies with ∼18% of in-hospital cardiac arrests surviving to leave hospital in the UK.1 Despite data showing improvement in survival rates after cardiac arrest internationally, only 7–8% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA)2 survive to hospital discharge in England compared with higher rates in other developed countries. In Seattle, North America, survival rates of 62% have been reported in patients who had witnessed OHCA with an initial rhythm of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Continual evaluation and adjustments in resuscitation guidelines aim to improve survival rates. Adult resuscitation guidelines were last reviewed in this journal in 2007. There have been two Resuscitation Council (UK) [RC (UK)] guideline updates since then: in 2010, and most recently October 2015.3 This article will discuss and summarize the main changes. In 1767, a Society in Amsterdam was established for the Recovery of Drowned Persons.4 This was the first resuscitation organization dealing with education, guidelines, and collaboration between physicians and lay people. Despite some rather unusual techniques, many described are still used in modern-day resuscitation, that is, warming the victim and artificial respiration. The first scientific paper on survival after closed chest compressions was published in 19605 and was followed by a national cardiopulmonary resuscitation …