October 25, 2012 Contact: Juliann Walsh, Department of Public
Relations, 267-426-6054 or email@example.com In cardiac
emergencies, rescuers performing CPR should do chest
compressions first. That’s the most important change in new
guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, recently announced
by the American Heart Association (AHA). Experts from The
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who helped develop the new
recommendations discussed the changes in the life-saving
emergency technique at the AHA Scientific Sessions in Chicago on
Monday evening, Nov. 15. “The AHA has changed the order of CPR
from A-B-C, or Airway-Breathing-Compressions, to C-A-B, which is
Compressions-Airway-Breathing,” said Robert Berg, MD, chief of
the critical care department at Children’s Hospital and chair of
the AHA’s Basic Life Support committee. “Both professional and
lay rescuers should begin chest compressions immediately for
anyone—adult or child—who is unresponsive and not breathing
normally. Chest compressions are absolutely e