2020 American Heart Association and American Red Cross

Focused Update for

First Aid
The Evidence
Systematic reviews are conducted These studies are translated to
by the International Liaison make evidence-based
Committee on Resuscitation guidelines for North American
First Aid Task Force. first aid providers.

Recommendations for First Aid Providers

Stroke
Activate emergency
services for possible
stroke when assessing
an individual with any
of the following: Facial droop Weakness in one arm Speech disturbance
or one side

Chest Pain
Activate emergency
unless
services for non­
traumatic chest
pain, and encourage Chew and swallow Allergic to aspirin or
162 to 324 mg aspirin advised not to take it by
alert adults to healthcare provider

Bleeding
For treatment of
life-threatening
bleeding, perform
Apply direct pressure
the following: Apply a tourniquet ASAP to a life- (with hemostatic
threatening extremity bleeding dressing) if a tourniquet
or to bleeding that cannot be cannot be used, or until
controlled with direct pressure. a tourniquet is available.

Hyperthermia If immersion
Cold-water, whole-
body immersion not available
is most effective
at treating people Initiate ASAP, and continue Ice packs, cold showers,
until a temperature of ≤39°C and fanning may also
with hyperthermia (102.2°F) is reached or until be used.
or heatstroke. symptoms resolve.

Hypoglycemia Tooth Avulsion

Activate emergency If emergency replantation Cow’s milk or

Give oral glucose to
services if symptoms is not available, transport saliva may also
adults and children
worsen or if they the tooth in a balanced be considered.
with suspected
don’t resolve within salt solution or wrapped Don’t store in
hypoglycemia.
10 minutes. in cling film. tap water.

Guidelines provided by
Infographic by Andy Tolmie, MD candidate.
Template designed by Sparsh Shah, MD.
Edited by Sparsh Shah; Alvin Chin, MD,
MSc; and Comilla Sasson, MD, PhD.

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