Advanced cardiac life support

Under Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support ( ACLS ) refers to the extended measures as part of a resuscitation described in the guidelines of professional societies European Resuscitation Council (ERC ) and American Heart Association (AHA ) to terminate a cardiac arrest and to treat the underlying disease. The basic measures of resuscitation, however, be referred to as basic life support ( BLS).

While the guidelines of the ERC perform the concept of ALS, the term is used by the AHA ACLS. The measures in these largely coordinated policies differ only in details. They include among others, the peripheral venous puncture, drug therapy, respiratory protection and defibrillation.

Certain ALS measures, such as the administration of drugs or intubation, are in Germany medical activities, but which are performed by non- medical personnel such as health and nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Notkompetenz or by delegation. In other countries with Paramedic -based emergency services such as the U.S. or Switzerland, these measures are routinely practiced by highly qualified, non- medical rescue service employees.