Heart Rhythm Society
HRS position statement: Changing the tide in CPR and AED education for students in the United States
This guideline holds 97 references and 2 tables.
Summary
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of mortality in the United States, but bystander-initiated CPR remains suboptimal due to disparities and inconsistent training. The Institute of Medicine identifies US high school students as a prime target for CPR and AED education.
Key takeaways
Timely bystander CPR and AED use are the most critical determinants of survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Current 1-time or didactic-only instruction in high schools does not reliably produce durable skills or confidence to act.
Evidence-based CPR and AED education must include hands-on initial training and frequent longitudinal refresher courses.
Technology-enabled and student-led approaches should be integrated to improve training engagement and emergency response.
Major demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in bystander CPR and AED use must be addressed through equitable resource allocation, targeted public training, and dedicated funding.
National-level registries and robust data collection are needed to evaluate training effectiveness and track out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes.
Scope and population
Clinical topic
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA)
Objectives
To evaluate the current landscape of CPR and AED education for US high school students and propose evidence-based solutions and an implementation framework for uniform, effective, and equitable initial and longitudinal training.
Patient population
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) victims
Written for
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