Other Updates You Should Know

-Cough CPR may be considered in cardiac settings such as the cardiac catheterization laboratory for conscious, supine, and monitored patients if the patient can be instructed and coached to cough forcefully every one to three seconds during the initial seconds of an arrhythmic cardiac arrest. It should not delay definitive treatment.

-The precordial thump may be considered for patients with witnessed, monitored, unstable ventricular tachycardia, including pulseless VT if a defibrillator is not immediately ready for use, but it should not delay CPR and shock delivery.

If you are renewing your BLS Healthcare Provider CPR course work, please note that the first section of the course will review refresher material on core CPR basics, the updated American Heart Association chain of survival recommendations and information on how to assist conscious victims suffering a suspected heart attack.

Healthcare Providers taking this course as a renewal for their current certificate may quickly review this section as a key refresher of basic skills and CPR.