Abstract
The American Heart Association has been the recognized source for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) education for the past three decades. Since the first ACLS course, numerous revisions have been made to the management algorithms based on evolving scientific evidence. The last revisions made in August 2000 were the first international guidelines published. These guidelines reflect the intense review and analysis of scientific work and emphasize the importance of evidence-based therapies. This article outlines the major changes to ACLS guidelines for dysrhythmias, acute coronary syndromes, and acute stroke management.