The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross have updated and expanded first-aid guidelines for bystanders and emergency responders to include managing opioid overdoses, open chest wounds, and other emergencies. The revised guidelines, published in the journal Circulation, emphasize the importance of recognizing emergencies and prioritizing needs. The updates, the first comprehensive update since 2010, are evidence-based and provide detailed guidance on a wide range of emergency care conditions, such as opioid overdoses, tick bites, and heatstroke.
Co-chair of the writing group, Dr. Elizabeth Hewett Brumberg, emphasizes that first-aid training is essential for saving lives and reducing harm. The guidelines reaffirm common emergency response strategies and provide specific instructions for bystanders on recognizing when professional help is needed. Dr. Matthew J. Douma, co-chair of the writing group, stresses the importance of enrolling in a first aid class to learn how to provide emergency care effectively.
The updated guidelines cover a range of scenarios, including open chest wounds, external bleeding, seizures, and stroke. The focus is on acting within one’s abilities and showing respect for the person being helped. The article advises maintaining first-aid skills and having a first-aid kit on hand, as first aid has been proven to save lives. For more information on heart and brain health, visit news.heart.org.
Copyright ©2024 American Heart Association, Inc., distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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