As an expert in emergency medicine, I can tell you that the length of time someone can go without a pulse, specifically without a heartbeat, is a critical concern. The brain is particularly vulnerable to oxygen deprivation, and it can survive for up to about six minutes after the heart stops. This is why learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is so important. If CPR is initiated within six minutes of cardiac arrest, the brain may still be saved from the effects of oxygen deprivation. However, without CPR, after about six minutes, the brain starts to suffer irreversible damage and begins to die. read more >>

The brain can survive for up to about six minutes after the heart stops. The reason to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is that if CPR is started within six minutes of cardiac arrest, the brain may survive the lack of oxygen. After about six minutes without CPR, however, the brain begins to die.read more >>