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Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Support
Eldon Vince Isidro
ACLS
• The ACLS guidelines were first published in 1974 by the American Heart
Association and were updated in 1980, 1986, 1992, 2000, 2005, 2010, and
most recently in 2015.
• Starting in 2015, updates are to be made on an ongoing basis. Nevertheless,
the traditional major updates at five-year intervals will continue.
BLS vs ACLS
• Audience
• Background Medical Knowledge Needed
• Pharmaceuticals
• Tools/Resources
Audience (BLS vs ACLS)
• BLS is intended to be for anyone who needs to know the basic principles of
CPR, AED usage and other primary methods of lifesaving skills.
• ACLS is designed specifically for healthcare professionals. This includes
physicians, nurses, anaesthesiologists, paramedics, dentists and more.
Background Medical Knowledge Needed
• Having some medical knowledge is helpful going into both courses, but its
not necessarily required for BLS.
• ACLS on the other hand, demands at least a basic foundation of medical
knowledge that will allow you to absorb the material and successfully
complete the course.
Pharmaceuticals (BLS vs ACLS)
• Both BLS and ACLS teach proper techniques of using an automated external
defibrillator (AED).
• ACLS Certification courses cover several additional tools and resources that
can be used in a life-threatening situation.
Algorithm
• The current ACLS guidelines are set into several groups of "algorithms" - a
set of instructions that are followed to standardize treatment, and increase
its effectiveness
• These algorithms usually come in the form of a flowchart, incorporating
'yes/no' type decisions, making the algorithm easier to memorize.
Types of Algorithms