2020 American Heart Association and American Red Cross Focused Update for First Aid

Abstract

additional treatment when needed, such as activating emergency medical services or seeking other medical assistance (emergency services). 1 The present document incorporates systematic reviews conducted by the First Aid Task Force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). 2 Systematic reviews and Consensus on Science With Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) conducted by ILCOR provide upto-date science for international use. After formulation of the ILCOR systematic reviews and CoSTRs, a North American team with representatives appointed by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross (Red Cross) then applies the science within these documents to update existing first aid guidelines for use in curriculum and protocol development. Beginning in 2015, the ILCOR evidence evaluation process transitioned to a continuous evidence evaluation, with systematic reviews performed as new published evidence emerges or when an ILCOR task force prioritizes a topic. In 2020, the ILCOR First Aid Task Force conducted systematic reviews on the topics of recognizing stroke, providing supplemental oxygen for individuals suspected of stroke, when to offer aspirin for those with chest pain, methods of providing glucose for individuals suspected of hypoglycemia, means to stop life-threatening bleeding, use of compression wraps for the recovery from closed extremity joint injuries, mediums to store avulsed teeth, and cooling techniques for exertional hyperthermia or heatstroke.