DALLAS — The American Heart Association has released its first major update to CPR and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC) guidelines since 2020, adding new recommendations for choking response, opioid-related emergencies and revisions to the Chain of Survival.
The 2025 guidelines, published on Oct. 22 in Circulation, aim to make lifesaving interventions clearer and more effective for both medical professionals and bystanders.
New choking response recommendations
For the first time, guidance for choking in conscious adults has been added, AHA said. Rescuers are now advised to alternate five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.
For infants, the update clarifies that caregivers should use five back blows followed by five chest thrusts with the heel of one hand — not abdominal thrusts, which pose a risk of injury…