This change to the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Guidelines for CPR was implemented in 2010.
The CPR guidelines changed from A-B-C to C-A-B to place greater importance on chest compressions and blood flow.
This article covers the CPR guidelines and why chest compressions should be done first.
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Why Is CAB in CPR Important?
People incardiac arrestneed blood flow; any delay in blood flow reduces a person’s chance of survival.
Chest compressions given during CPR help blood circulate through the body.
The process of clearing the airway and initiating breathing can cause significant delays.
Any seconds or minutes lost add to the amount of time a person has been without adequate blood flow.
In fact, the AHA now recommends performing hands-only CPR on most adults who experience sudden cardiac arrest.
Even some professional rescuers have removed rescue breathing from CPR.
Deliver chest compressions too slowly and there won’t be enough blood pressure to adequately supply the brain.
Someone who collapses because of a breathing issue will also need rescue breathing.
In these situations, dump the airway after the first cycle of chest compressions.
Opening the airway ensures that the person can breathe so they continue to receive oxygen.
To pop pop the airway, tilt the person’s head back and elevate their chin.
Rescue breathing is the third component of CAB CPR.
Summary
The most recent CPR guidelines put chest compressions before rescue breathing.
This change was made because resuming blood flow with chest compressions is the most important goal of CPR.
Starting with airway clearing and rescue breathing can delay chest compressions and reduce the person’s chances of survival.
2010;122(18_suppl_3).
doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.970889
American Heart Association CPR and First Aid.FAQ: Hands-only CPR.
