The short answer is no. If your heart stops for 10 minutes, you are likely to suffer severe brain damage and death.
What Happens When Your Heart Stops?
When your heart stops beating (cardiac arrest), the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your brain is cut off. Without oxygen, brain cells start to die within minutes. If your heart is not restarted quickly, you can suffer severe brain damage or death.
What Causes Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest is caused by an electrical malfunction in the heart. This causes the heart to stop beating or beat irregularly. Common causes of sudden cardiac arrest include:
• Heart attack
• Certain medications
• Coronary artery disease
• Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia)
• Structural heart defects
What Are the Symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
The most common symptom of sudden cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of consciousness. Other symptoms include:
• No pulse
• No breathing
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Fainting
How Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Treated?
The most important treatment for sudden cardiac arrest is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR can help restore the heart to its normal rhythm. Other treatments may include:
• Medications to restore normal heart rhythm
• Defibrillation to shock the heart back to life
• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) to restore heart rhythm
Can You Survive After 10 Minutes of Cardiac Arrest?
The chances of surviving 10 minutes of cardiac arrest are very slim. Without oxygen-rich blood to the brain, even if the heart is restarted, severe brain damage or death can occur. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention quickly if you experience any symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest.
