The document discusses the American Heart Association's process for updating its Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) based on the latest resuscitation science. It describes how an international committee called ILCOR systematically reviews over 300 resuscitation topics to reach a consensus on the science. This consensus will then be used to update the AHA's 2010 Guidelines for CPR and ECC later in the year. The new guidelines are aimed at helping healthcare providers and lay rescuers save more lives through improved resuscitation practices and training.

1. SAVE MORE LIVES WITH
THE LATEST SCIENCE
Committed to saving lives through research, training, and education 2010
BETTER PRACTICES SAVE MORE LIVES
Millions of healthcare professionals worldwide rely on the American Heart
Association’s Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and
Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) in their mission to save more lives.
These guidelines are based on a systematic, evidence-based review of
resuscitation science. The science is always changing, which is why American
Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECC are updated every
five years, with additional Scientific Statements released when necessary.
In late 2010, the American Heart Association will publish new guidelines
for CPR and ECC based on the scientific consensus of leaders in international
resuscitation science. The guidelines reflect our continued commitment
to save lives by updating resuscitation science, training, and education, and to
improve the quality of care given by lay rescuers and healthcare providers.
LIFESAVING GUIDELINES DEVELOPED BY TRUSTED PRACTITIONERS
The Role of AHA Who Makes the Changes
The 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC reinforces the The 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC are based
ECC Program’s mission, which is uniquely focused on strictly on the science consensus reached by physicians,
empowering people to save lives. We are not exclusively nurses, scientists, researchers, and EMS professionals
responsible for the science upon which these Guidelines from around the world. These volunteers are appointed by
are based; rather, the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and their peers and serve independently from the AHA and
ECC represent a committed effort of international any commercial interests.
volunteer leaders in reviewing, evaluating, and discussing
resuscitation science through a multi-year, comprehensive Clear, Unbiased Judgment
review process. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR)
and the AHA consider conflict of interest of the utmost
importance in maintaining the integrity of the evidence
evaluation process. Every good faith effort is taken to
resolve any real or perceived conflicts of interest during the
entire science review process. The conference is free
of any financial support from commercial entities.
©2009, American Heart Association. 80-1100 1/09

2. THE 2010 GUIDELINES PROCESS
Key Points of the 2010 Guidelines Process Inviting Feedback – Preliminary Guidelines
• Evidence-based Based on the ILCOR 2010 Consensus, the American Heart
• Thorough, detailed, collaborative and unbiased Association will develop its 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC.
• International in scope
• Involve actual practitioners who will base treatment on From Consensus to Guidelines
new guidelines The 2010 Consensus Conference deals exclusively with evaluating
• Continually improving process and interpreting peer-reviewed, published scientific evidence in
• Include many opportunities for input over a long period of time. order to achieve a consensus on resuscitation science. The American
Heart Association will then create new CPR and ECC Guidelines
Planning and practitioner recommendations from the international consensus
ILCOR, a body of seven (AHA, ERC, IAHF, HSFC, ANZCOR, RCSA, RCA) on science.
international resuscitation organizations, including the American Heart • The ILCOR 2010 CPR Consensus recommendations will be
Association, began preparation for the 2010 International Consensus published concurrently in the journals, Circulation and Resuscitation
conference in early 2007. in late 2010.
Reviewing the Science • The 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC will be published
in Circulation in late 2010.
ILCOR is conducting systematic, evidence-based reviews and
updates of more than 300 CPR and ECC topics. This process • The Winter issue of Currents, to be published in December 2010, will
represents the most comprehensive review of the resuscitation feature updates on resuscitation science most directly applicable
literature to date. to the needs of the AHA Instructor Network, healthcare providers,
and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.
International experts from different organizations will review
each topic, rating the level and quality of evidence using a standardized What the New Guidelines Mean for You
international evidence evaluation process to develop a
“worksheet” for each topic. Every worksheet will be reviewed by an As a practical matter, the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC will
evidence-evaluation expert to ensure that the review process involve change. You may have to learn new techniques, and you
was systematically and consistently used across disciplines. There are will need new training materials. The sooner you incorporate these new
separate ILCOR task forces for Basic Life Support, Advanced guidelines into your treatment regimen, the faster you will be able to
Life Support, Pediatric Life Support, Neonatal Life Support, Acute translate the new science into saving more lives.
Coronary Syndromes/Myocardial Infarction, Education and
Implementation teams. BE PREPARED
Worksheets are then discussed in an ongoing series of international Please register to receive your e-mail alert for the Winter issue of
meetings, which will culminate with the 2010 International Consensus Currents at
on CPR and ECC Science With Treatment Recommendations
Conference, hosted by the AHA in February 2010. ILCOR will also
initiate a public comment time during 2009 to allow the healthcare
americanheart.org/cpr
community to read, review, and comment on every worksheet on a
public Internet site, www.americanheart.org/ILCOR
Presenting Results
Each topic will be presented in either a plenary session, a discipline-
specific breakout session, or a poster session. Each topic will be
discussed and critiqued by the assembled international resuscitation
experts until a consensus is reached.
Reaching Consensus
The results of the 2010 Consensus Conference will be published in
late 2010.