Although there are no major changes in the 2021 Basic Life Support Guidelines, the 2021 UK Resuscitation Council guidelines have added a few key points about adult basic life support.
Cardiac arrest recognition remains a key priority as it is the first step in triggering the emergency response to cardiac arrest in any unresponsive person with absent or abnormal breathing. The ambulance call handler will assist with instructions for confirming the cardiac arrest, starting with compression-only CPR, and locating, retrieving and using an AED.
It is important to provide chest compressions as soon as possible after cardiac arrest is confirmed. Send someone to fetch an AED and bring it to the scene of the cardiac arrest. The British Heart Foundation database, “The Circuit” serves as a national resource for the location of AEDs.
Finally, Use the recovery position, only if a person’s conscious level is reduced and they do not meet the criteria for starting CPR.