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ACLS is the appropriate medical response to cardiac arrest and is continued until the person is revived or is declared dead by a competent medical authority. The standards for ACLS in the United States are administered by the American Heart Association.
ACLS consists of the provision of advanced cardiac drugs, defibrillation and intubation or RSI. For witnessed or monitored arrests, ACLS also includes a single precordial thump.
Paramedics, doctors, or specially trained nurses may provide ACLS before arrival in hospital, in the emergency room, or elsewhere in a hospital. Doctors trained in emergency medicineEmergency medicine is a branch of medicine that is practiced in a hospital emergency department, in the field (in a modified form; see EMS), and other locations where initial medical treatment of trauma and illness takes place. Emergency medicine focuses or a cardiologyCardiology is the branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The human heart is a complex organ, consisting of two ventricles and two atria. Coronary arteries feed the heart the blood it needs to sustain itself. Selected top can provide additional cardiac drugs and possible surgicalSurgery is the medical specialty that treats diseases or injuries by operative manual and instrumental treatment. Its practitioners are referred to as surgeons''. History of surgery Although surgeons are now considered to be specialised physicians, the pr intervention including internal cardiac massage and drainage of pneumothoracesIn medicine ( pulmonology), a pneumothorax or collapsed lung is a medical emergency that can result from a penetrating chest wound or barotrauma to the lungs. Additionally, it can develop spontaneously in predisposed individuals. Signs and symptoms Sudden and cardiac tamponadeCardiac tamponade is a medical emergency condition where a large amount of a liquid accumulates in the pericardium in a relatively short time. The created pressure prevents proper filling of heart cavities. Instead of reducing the filling of both ventricl.CPR provided by laypersons buys time for higher medical responders such as paramedics to arrive and begin providing ACLS. For this reason it is essential that any person starting CPR also activate the emergency medical services by calling for helpThis article is about methods of calling for help. For the TechTV television show, see Call For Help. Below are ways to call for help in an emergency. Remember that an emergency is a situation that poses an immediate threat to human life or property, thou using the emergency telephone numberMany countries' public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or occasionally the emergency services number that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assis.
Semi-automatic defibrillation, oxygen, and airway support may be provided by emergency medical technicians. This is considered basic life support or BLS. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is one of the skills provided as part of BLS.
See also basic life support