Major Changes of the 2025 Korean Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Guidelines

Korean cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines are updated every 5 years. This report presents the major changes and outlines the development process pertaining to the updated 2025 CPR guidelines.

Seven task forces were organized with members nominated by professional societies associated with CPR. Each task force utilized the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology to develop key research questions before conducting systematic evidence reviews. The 2025 CPR guidelines were decided based on the reviewed evidence and discussions to achieve a consensus.

The 2025 guidelines include the following major modifications. 1) Rehabilitation and recovery are added to the chain of survival. 2) Dispatchers should be able to instruct the caller on the use of an automated external defibrillator. 3) It is recommended that trained rescuers should initiate rescue breaths in drowning-related cardiac arrests. 4) Double sequential defibrillation or vector change is advised for refractory ventricular fibrillation. 5) The target temperature for post-resuscitation temperature management is revised from 32-36°C to 33-37.5°C. 6) Public-access defibrillation is recommended for children aged ≥1 year. 7) The use of supraglottic airway devices and video laryngoscopy is suggested for neonatal resuscitation. 8) Feedback devices are recommended in CPR training. 9) A first aid section is added to address emergencies associated with cardiac arrest.

The CPR guidelines have been revised based on the latest evidence. It is expected that the implementation of these updated guidelines and their inculcation via training programs will improve survival rates in cardiac arrest cases.