AHA Overhauls Choking Response: Back Blows Come Before Abdominal Thrusts

Overview

• For conscious children and adults, rescuers should deliver five firm back blows followed by five abdominal compressions, repeating the sequence until the airway clears or the person becomes unresponsive.
• For infants under 1 year, the protocol is five back blows then five chest compressions using the base of the palm, with abdominal thrusts prohibited to avoid internal injury.
• The revised recommendations were published in Circulation and in Pediatrics, signaling endorsement across emergency and pediatric communities.
• Brazilian firefighters and instructors are rapidly teaching the new sequence through viral demonstrations, and authorities urge the public to learn CPR and call SAMU (192) in emergencies.
• Additional updates include guidance for public use of naloxone in suspected overdoses, a unified rescue framework across ages and settings, and delaying cord clamping in healthy newborns for at least 60 seconds.