First-aid guidelines expanded to include opioid overdoses, seizures, other emergencies

(TNS) American Heart Association News

First-aid guidelines for bystanders and emergency responders have long focused on issues like chest pain, bleeding and recognizing a stroke. Now, they have been updated and expanded to include recommendations for managing opioid overdoses, open chest wounds and other emergencies.

The revised guidelines, developed by the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross, were published in the journal Circulation. It is the first comprehensive update since 2010.

“These updates reflect the changing landscape of public health challenges and aim to equip trained professionals and the public with lifesaving skills that are more critical than ever,” writing group co-chair Dr. Elizabeth Hewett Brumberg said in a news release. She is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“Providing first-aid care is about recognizing that an emergency has occurred – that someone is ill or injured – and assessing them and then prioritizing their needs,” she said. “First-aid training is essential to apply the appropriate knowledge and skills for saving lives and reducing harm.”

The evidence-based updates reaffirm strategies for emergency responders that have become common practice in recent years and provide more specificity for basic first-aid topics. They also provide instruction for bystanders on how to recognize when someone needs professional help, along with when to use available tools and medications effectively.