The main issues in the Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation launched by the European Resuscitation Council in October 2010 are summarized in the article. Neither tracheal administration of drugs nor atropine in asystole have been recommended, a treatment of the post-cardiac arrest syndrome has been emphasized, and the adverse effects of hyperoxia have been proven.
Chest compressions, early defibrillation, and early therapeutic hypothermia are the key procedures of cardiopulmonary resuscitation affecting favourable outcome.