Contemporary approaches to cardiopulmonary resuscitation: physiology-guided approaches

Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) strategies for cardiac arrest have traditionally been centered on the use of vasoactive medications and high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, since the concept of ACLS was introduced, the field of cardiac resuscitation has attempted to elucidate the physiology of cardiac arrest and cardiac resuscitation in an effort to improve resuscitation outcomes. In this review, we describe the molecular, translational, and clinical concepts underlying traditional and contemporary approaches to physiology-guided resuscitation. We further describe emerging clinical interventions that are based on the above research and concepts.