Cardiac Arrest Patients Lose Consciousness Immediately

When a person experiences cardiac arrest, they immediately lose consciousness. Within approximately 10 seconds of the heart stopping, the individual may begin to gasp or exhibit seizure-like activity. By about 60 seconds, breathing ceases entirely and the pupils begin to dilate. Between two to four minutes, the brain's stored energy reserves—such as glycogen and glucose—are nearly depleted. After four minutes without a heartbeat, irreversible brain damage begins to occur. Therefore, during cardiac arrest, the patient is completely unconscious, and loss of consciousness is a key indicator used to identify cardiac arrest.

Recognizing Cardiac Arrest

Key signs of cardiac arrest include unresponsiveness, absence of normal breathing, no detectable pulse, and lack of major artery pulsation. If these symptoms are present, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be initiated to increase the chances of survival.

How to Perform CPR

Steps: Circulation, Airway, Breathing (C-A-B)

The modern CPR sequence follows the C-A-B method. Circulation comes first, involving chest compressions to manually pump blood through the body. Next is Airway, which involves tilting the head and lifting the chin to open the airway. Finally, Breathing involves delivering rescue breaths to oxygenate the lungs. This sequence should be repeated in cycles of 30 compressions to 2 breaths.

When CPR is Successful

After every five cycles of CPR, pause briefly to assess for signs of recovery. Successful CPR is indicated by the return of consciousness, spontaneous breathing, and a detectable heartbeat. Prompt action and correct CPR technique significantly improve the patient's chances of survival and neurological recovery.