Dr. Jane Wigginton, a medical scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), contributed to the 2025 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. She served as the lead author of the adult Advanced Life Support (ALS) section. The updated protocols are used by emergency responders and healthcare professionals worldwide. The guidelines were published on October 22, 2025, in the AHA journal Circulation. They are revised every five years to reflect new research and practices in emergency cardiovascular care.
The guidelines include twelve sections. These cover emergency interventions such as cardiac arrest management, arrhythmia protocols, pediatric resuscitation, toxicology, and training standards for medical personnel. Dr. Wigginton led the ALS section, which addresses defibrillation, drug administration timing, airway management, and identification of reversible causes of cardiac arrest. These updates guide professional rescuers in the United States and other countries.
Dr. Wigginton has over 25 years of emergency medicine experience at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. She is also chief medical officer at the Texas Biomedical Device Center and holds leadership roles at UT Dallas. Her background in clinical practice and research, especially in brain health, contributed to her selection as vice chair of the writing group for the guidelines…