American Heart Association Updates First Aid Guidelines

SAN DIEGO -- Recently, the American Heart Association released new guidelines for emergency care. The guidelines change some of the steps millions of people have learned in first aid classes.

The guidelines cover a variety of topics from cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the treatment of cardiovascular emergencies.

One of the major changes is the recognition that a pulse check isn't necessary for the average person who is considering whether to do CPR.

The AHA now recommends bystanders administer chest compressions on an unconscious person before a pulse check.

Experts say time is wasted when a person who is not medically trained tries to find a pulse on a victim.

Research shows at least 35 percent of average people miscalculate whether a victim has a pulse or not. Therefore, the new guidelines recommend the general public look for normal breathing, movement, response to stimulation and other signs of circulation when deciding whether to begin chest compressions.

Doctors say many problems with first aid information are due to outdated advice.

For example, in the past, tourniquets were used to stop bleeding. Now, they are considered too dangerous to use. Doctors say they actually cause more bleeding and can cause permanent damage to the victim. Instead, doctors recommend a person put direct pressure on the wound to help stop the bleeding.

Another common mistake concerns nosebleeds. Dr. Wayne Friestad, an emergency room physician from Florida Hospital in Orlando, Fla., says he has been trying to change how people react to a nosebleed for 20 years.

Most people think the proper way to deal with a nosebleed is to tilt your head back. However, Dr. Friestad says this sends the blood to your throat and will make you sick. Instead, Friestad says people should blow their nose and tilt their head forward while pinching their nose.

Other common first aid mistakes include putting butter on a burn or using ipecac syrup to treat a poisoning.

Doctors are against using butter on a burn because it increases the risk of infection. Instead, doctors say use cool water to treat the burn and then see a doctor.

In the past, syrup of ipecac has been used to treat poisonings. Instead, doctors say activated charcoal is a better treatment for some poisons. However, before you treat a poison victim, make sure you call Poison Control.

To find a first aid course in your area, contact your local American Red Cross chapter or your local hospital.