The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross have revised and expanded first-aid guidelines to include recommendations for managing opioid overdoses, open chest wounds, and other emergencies. The updated guidelines, published in the journal Circulation, aim to equip trained professionals and the public with lifesaving skills that are more critical than ever.
Dr. Elizabeth Hewett Brumberg, co-chair of the writing group, emphasized the importance of recognizing an emergency, assessing the situation, and prioritizing the victim’s needs. The new guidelines provide detailed guidance on scenarios such as opioid overdoses, tick bites, and when someone feels faint. They also cover situations involving open chest wounds, external bleeding, spinal motion restrictions, seizures, heatstroke, and hypothermia, among others.
Dr. Matthew J. Douma, co-chair of the writing group, encourages bystanders to enroll in a first-aid class to learn how to provide emergency care. He emphasizes the importance of training, maintaining skills, and having a first aid kit on hand.
The updated guidelines reflect the changing landscape of public health challenges and reaffirm strategies for emergency responders that have become common practice in recent years. The content expands beyond basic first aid to provide more specificity for basic first-aid topics and instruction on recognizing when someone needs professional help.
For more articles on heart and brain health, visit news.heart.org. The American Heart Association holds the copyright for this content, and all rights are reserved. ©2024 American Heart Association, Inc., distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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