How long will it take us to die if our hearts stopped?

Question: How long will it take us to die if our hearts stopped?
- Keywords:
  die,
  heart stops
Asked by John Cena Thank you every to Cristina, Gemma, Loan, Michael, Praveen on 9 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by A.Ávila17.
- Cristina Villa del Campo answered on 9 Nov 2015:
  
  Hi!
  
  Thanks for your question.
  
  When our heart stops, it is no longer able to pump blood through our arteries and all cells in the body start lacking oxygen, which is crucial for their survival.
  
  The brain is the most sensitive tissue to the lack of oxygen and neurons suffer severely within minutes. This causes loss of counciousness even in seconds. Even if our heart has stopped, at this point we can resuscitate a person if we act quickly by cardiopulmonary resuscitation and adrenalin injection.
  
  However in around 5 minutes without oxygen the neurons have suffered so much that cardiac arrest is not reversible and the person dies (or suffers brain damage).
  
  I have found (in wikipedia) that the longest we have seen in a lab an mammal can recover after the heart stops has been an hour!
  
  Also, I found that if the body temperature is lowered this process is delayed so the brain can survive up to ten minutes once the heart has stopped beating because all the injury processes are delayed in lower temperatures. How cool is that?
- Loan Nguyen answered on 9 Nov 2015:
  
  This is a very simple question but has a very complicated answer. I will try my best.
  
  The function of the heart is to pump blood around the body to supply our body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs for us to breathe, walk and remain alive. The brain is the organ which is most sentisitive to lost of oxygen Without oxygen, the brain will suffocate and begins to die at around 5 mins after the heart stop pumping. Any damage to the brain is extremely difficult to repair and will affect our ability to function dramatically, i.e. paralysis, speech loss, blindness…etc… After 10 mins without oxygen, the brain is considered dead, and so is the person.
  
  However, if you have decided to take a walk to the North pole to visit Santa this Christmas and fall under the ice, if you do not drown, you will suffer a cold shock (hypothermia). In this situation the cold has effectively slow down your body and reduce its need for oxygen, therefore the brain can survive for a little longer than 5mins.
  
  The best way to start the heart pumping again after it has sotpped is by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If CPR is started immediately, the chances of saving the person is massively increased, remember, the brain can only survive around 5 mins without oxygen before the patient begins to losse bodily function. Time is absolutely essential to the patient after a heart attack. By doing CPR, you are massaging the heart and helping it pump blood to the much need organ; the brain. As long as there is blood flowing to the brain, even if in smaller amount, CPR is helping keeping the patient alive and giving them that extra bit of time they need. CPR should be continued until it is certain that there is no hope of rescuing the brain. This decision will need to come from a qualified professional.
  
  CPR can last as long as 40 mins and can be exhausting. this is why it is best if there is another person to help alternate.
  
  I hope that you have found my answer useful.
  
  Loan
- Michael Schneider answered on 9 Nov 2015:
  
  The answer to that depends on whether the heart gets restarted or not. CPR (pumping on the chest to compress the heart rhythmically) can force out enough blood to the body for someone to survive at least 30 minutes. That could be enough time to reach a hospital, get expert assistance, and if necessary receive a temporary mechanical pump as a bridge to heart transplantation. But, without CPR the brain would die in just a few minutes, something that is irreversible.

Question: How long will it take us to die if our hearts stopped?

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