Due to its importance, post-cardiac arrest care has been elevated to the status of the fifth link in the metaphor used by the American Heart Association (AHA) to describe the interconnectedness of processes involved in the care of the sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) Victim. The AHA’s 2010 Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) now includes a chapter dedicated to the post-cardiac arrest period.¹²

Steps for Survival
Recognition of cardiac arrest and call for help
Early CPR emphasizing chest compressions
Rapid defibrillation Advanced life support Advanced post-cardiac arrest hospital care