Q: Which doctor will help if there is cardiac arrest?
A: All doctors are trained for CPR in the event of cardiac arrest. Normally an intensive care doctor or a cardiologist will look after the patients once they are admitted to the hospitals.
Q: How long does cardiopulmonary resuscitation of CPR continue?
A: This will depend on the cause of cardiac arrest, if known. It can vary from 10 minutes to 45 minutes.
Q: What is the Prognosis for Cardiac Arrest?
A: Outside of a hospital setting, the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest is 7.6%. This percentage increases to 22% when the patient is already in a hospital setting mainly due to instant care.
The chances of survival are usually assessed at 72 hours or more after the arrest.
Q: What are the chances of brain damage after cardiac arrest?
A: Brain damage due to loss of blood supply and hypoxia is a leading cause of disability after cardiac arrest. If the blood circulation to the brain is not re-established in 6 to 10 minutes there can be permanent brain damage.
Q: Are there any methods to prevent brain injury after cardiac arrests?
A: Cooling the body or hypothermia is one way of protecting the brain, however this requires to be in a hospital that has this facility.
