The Mega Code for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS): Training and Performance Evaluation

ACLS for cardiac arrest consists of basic life support, which includes mouth-to-mouth breathing and external chest compression; management of the airway with adjunctive equipment including intubation and ventilator support with supplemental oxygen; recognition of specific cardiac dysrhythmias and appropriate emergency therapy; electrical defibrillation and cardioversion; techniques for placement of intravenous lines; diagnosis of and therapy for acidbase abnormalities with particular emphasis on respiratory and metabolic acidosis; drug therapy during the pre-arrest phase, the cardiac arrest itself, and the period following resuscitation; and stabilization, to prevent cardio-respiratory arrest, and during the post-resuscitation period. In 1975, the American Heart Association developed an ACLS Training Program in which cognitive knowledge is presented at lectures and practical skills are taught and tested at several performance stations.