The cardiopulmonary resuscitation guideline of Basic Cardiopulmonary Life Support (BCLS) for management of adult victims with cardiopulmonary arrest outside the hospital provides an algorithmic stepwise approach for optimal outcome of the victims by trained medics and paramedics.

This guideline has been developed considering the need to have a universally accepted practice guideline for India and keeping in mind the infrastructural limitations of some areas of the country. This guideline is based on evidence elicited in the international and national literature.

In the absence of data from Indian population, the excerpts have been taken from international data, discussed with Indian experts and thereafter modified to make them practically applicable across India. The optimal outcome for a victim with cardiopulmonary arrest would depend on core links of early recognition and activation; early high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defibrillation and early transfer to the medical facility.

These links are elaborated in a stepwise manner in the BCLS algorithm. The BCLS also emphasise on quality check for various steps of resuscitation.