understanding how a cardiac arrest leads to respiratory arrest

silas2642 · May 10, 2009

This is true, and brain damage is very important to consider with any episode of hypoxia/anoxia, and both probably happen within seconds/minutes of each other.
However, consider this- if the brain is so damaged that it cannot maintain breathing, then your chances of recovery are slim (as the brain is damaged). However, as catshowlady points out, you can have a successful recovery by mechanical ventilation.
I would suppose that muscle exhaustion occurs first, followed shortly by brain damage, and then death.

Doubtful; pretty sure that the diaphragm is striated muscle and as such can use anaerobic sources of fuel. The brain works only on aerobic sources-- which is why it is so sensitive to hypoxia/anoxia and only survives for minutes before irreversible damage begins to occur when it is deprived of oxygen. In times of starvation, it can use ketolysis, but not acutely.

How cardiac arrest leads to respiratory arrest is probably a little/a lot more complicated then I'm making it. For the most part, healthy people's hearts just don't stop and there is most likely more pathophysiology behind it.

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · May 10, 2009

great thread!

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · May 10, 2009

Heart stops...

No oxygen delivered to entire body...

Person dies...

leslie :-D · May 10, 2009

Heart stops...
No oxygen delivered to entire body...
Person dies...

thank you, fs.

cardiac arrest = circulatory collapse = death.

as my a&p instructor used to say, "keep it simple, folks...":)

leslie