Video - Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS): Clinical

ACLS is a set of clinical interventions that are designed to save the lives of people who are experiencing cardiac arrest. The main aim of ACLS is to improve the chance of survival by restoring a normal heart rhythm as quickly as possible.

The key components of ACLS include: 1) providing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) 2) using an automated external defibrillator (AED) 3) giving oxygen therapy 4) using drugs to treat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).

The ACLS guidelines are designed to help healthcare providers make rapid, informed decisions about the best way to treat a person in cardiac arrest.

Some of the key interventions included in ACLS are: providing oxygen to the patient, performing chest compressions, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED). Healthcare providers may also use medications such as adrenaline and atropine to help support the patient's heart function.