Successful ACLS depends on responders working together, using simple and advanced techniques to save the life of cardiac arrest patients. Evidence indicates that the responders are doing a good job; over the past few years, the number of patients that survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has improved. 

The improvement results from a higher focus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and better post-arrest care. In 2020, the American Heart Association (AHA) published cardiac arrest survival statistics revealing the percentage of survival to discharge for OHCA patients rose from 9.5% (in 2013) to 10.4%. Additionally, in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival rates have also improved from the 2013 rate of 23.9% to 25.8%.¹

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The reason for these improvements is that responders are following the basic tenets of ACLS, specifically providing high-quality CPR, implementing the Survival Chain, and staying up to date on high-quality basic life support (BLS). 

The factors that improve health outcomes are:

• Excellent responder training
• Mock code situations
• Quickly recognizing cardiac arrest
• Early CPR
• Early defibrillation (within 3–5 minutes of arrest)
• Excellent post-cardiac arrest care, to improve recovery following the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).

Additionally, three components must be in place to improve survival for every cardiac arrest patient:

• Excellent chest compressions without unnecessary interruption
• Emphasizing teams in both ACLS and BLS
• A competent and effective team leader to organize team efforts during cardiac arrest.