ACLS Protocols: A Comprehensive Guide to Advanced Cardiac Life Support

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) incorporates CPR skills with heart rhythm interpretation, electric intervention, cardiac medications, special airways and intravenous or intraosseous (into bone) access.

Considerations

• Ventricular fibrillation, There is an algorithm for that.

  ACLS is a step-by-step approach that always begins with Basic Life Support (BLS). ACLS trained teams may not be readily available. Calling 911 or calling "a code" in a hospital starts the process, and staff can begin with the basics while more advanced help is on the way.

Step-by-Step

• Computer language is an algorithm.

  An algorithm is a step-by-step problem-solving process. Algorithms are common in math and is the way computer language is written. In ACLS, there are 16 different algorithms, for adult victims the medical professional must memorize. These sixteen step-by-step procedures cover all the cardiac emergencies a victim may experience.

Expert Insight

• ACLS protocols attempt to bring the heart rhythm back to normal.

  Protocols are just another way of saying "This is how we are going to do this." In ACLS, protocols and algorithms are synonymous, a flowchart of procedures for a given situation. The basis of the protocols is a "yes / no" question. Do I have this situation? Yes. Go here; No. Go here. By answering the questions and following the protocols, the medical team will begin to trace the problem and provide the appropriate treatment.