Udupi: The American Heart Association (AHA) rolled out its 2025 Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) in India at Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), on Tuesday.The event, themed ‘Advancing Excellence in Resuscitation Science and Emergency Cardiovascular Care,’ brought together healthcare leaders, academicians, and emergency care professionals to highlight updated, evidence-based practices in managing cardiac emergencies.John Kim, vice-president – Asia Pacific, AHA, attended as chief guest and emphasised the importance of global collaboration in improving survival outcomes during cardiac emergencies. Dr Sachin V Menon, AHA India Consultant regional director, expressed appreciation to AHA India and acknowledged the support of Indian institutions in strengthening resuscitation training.Dr Sharath Kumar Rao K, pro vice-chancellor (health sciences), MAHE, stressed that the real impact of such guidelines will be achieved only when life-saving skills reach the grassroots. He highlighted the need to extend CPR awareness and training beyond hospitals to the community level, including police personnel, ASHA workers, autorickshaw drivers, teachers, and other first responders. “If we can train people at the community level — those who are present at the scene before medical help arrives — we can save many more lives. CPR is not just for doctors. It is a skill every citizen should know,” he said.He added that institutions like MAHE, in collaboration with AHA, must take the lead in expanding structured training programmes across schools, workplaces, and public systems, as early response in the first few minutes of a cardiac emergency can significantly improve survival.The rollout is expected to help standardise CPR practices across hospitals and training centres, improve the quality of emergency cardiovascular care, and enhance preparedness among healthcare providers. The AHA guidelines are globally recognised standards that guide healthcare providers in delivering effective and timely care during cardiac emergencies, and are periodically updated based on the latest scientific evidence.
