[Guidelines for basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation of adult patients. European Resuscitation Council 1992].

In this paper 18 experts from 11 countries publish the European Resuscitation Council's guidelines for adult basic cardiac life support. Persons trained in advanced cardiac life support should use these guidelines together with the guidelines for advanced cardiac life support, also presented in this issue. The Council hopes that the guidelines and the accompanying algorithm will serve as ready to use "how-to-do-it" instructions, and function as part of any training manual in basic cardiac life support.