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Advanced Life Support
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Advanced Life Support (ALS)- Implies that an EMT is capable of performing advanced life support skills as either an EMT-I (Intermediate) or an EMT-P (Paramedic), commonly referred to simply as a paramedic or medic. Canadian paramedics may be certified in either ALS or in only basic life support (see paramedics in canada).
ALS (in most cases) refers to the skills and knowledge that a practitioner possess. The ALS provider may perform advanced procedures and skills on a patient involving invasive and non-invasive procedures including;
he United States, Intermediate and Paramedic level services are referred to as Advanced Life Support.
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Encyclopedia
Advanced Life Support (ALS)- Implies that an EMT is capable of performing advanced life support skills as either an EMT-I (Intermediate) or an EMT-P (Paramedic), commonly referred to simply as a paramedic or medic. Canadian paramedics may be certified in either ALS or in only basic life support (see paramedics in canada).
ALS (in most cases) refers to the skills and knowledge that a practitioner possess. The ALS provider may perform advanced procedures and skills on a patient involving invasive and non-invasive procedures including;
ALS Terminology
In the United States, Intermediate and Paramedic level services are referred to as Advanced Life Support. Services staffed by basic EMTs are referred to as Basic Life Support. This terminology extends beyond emergency cardiac care to describe all capabilities of the providers.
ALS is a treatment consensus for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cardiac arrest and related medical problems, as agreed in Europe by the European Resuscitation Council, most recently in 2005. It is practiced by in-hospital cardiac arrest teams, which generally consist of junior doctors from various specialties (anesthetics, general or internal medicine). Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are often skilled in ALS, although they may employ slightly modified version of the algorithm.
ALS algorithms
ALS presumes that basic life support (bag-mask administration of oxygen and chest compressions) are administered.
The main algorithm of ALS, which is invoked when actual cardiac arrest has been established, relies on the monitoring of the electrical activity of the heart on a cardiac monitor. Depending on the type of cardiac arrhythmia, defibrillation is applied, and medication is administered. Oxygen is administered and endotracheal intubation may be attempted to secure the airway. At regular intervals, the effect of the treatment on the heart rhythm, as well as the presence of cardiac output, is assessed.
Medication that may be administered may include adrenaline (epinephrine), amiodarone, atropine, bicarbonate, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Saline or colloids may be administered to increase the circulating volume.
While CPR is given (either manually, or through automated equipment such as AutoPulse), members of the team consider eight forms of potentially reversible causes for cardiac arrest, commonly abbreviated as "6H's & 5T's" according to the new 2005 AHA ACLS .
Note these reversible causes are usually taught and remembered as 4H's and 4T's - including hypoglycaemia and acidosis with hyper/hypokalaemia and 'metabolic causes' and omitting trauma from the T's as this is redundant with hypovolaemia - this simplification aids recall during resuscitation.
H's
T's
As of December 2005, Advanced Life Support guidelines have changed significantly. A major new worldwide consensus has been sought based upon the best available scientific evidence. The ratio of compressions to ventilations is now recommended as 30:2 for adults, to produce higher coronary and cerebral perfusion pressures. Defibrillation is now administered as a single shock, each followed immediately by 2 minutes of CPR before rhythm is re-assessed (5 cycles of CPR). ---> see Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Other conditions
ALS also covers various conditions related to cardiac arrest, such as cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia), poisoning and effectively all conditions that may lead to cardiac arrest if untreated, apart from the truly surgical emergencies (which are covered by Advanced Trauma Life Support).
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