38 mins CPR improves chances to survive heart attack

A new study has revealed that 38 minutes or longer of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can improve the chance of a person surviving cardiac arrest.

Sustaining CPR that long also improves the chances that survivors will have normal brain function, researchers said.

Research has found that early return of spontaneous circulation- the body pumping blood on its own- is important for people to survive cardiac arrest with normal brain function. But little research has focused on the period between cardiac arrest and any return of spontaneous circulation.

Using a massive registry tracking all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Japan in 2005-11, researchers studied how much time passed between survivors' collapse and the return of spontaneous circulation, and how well brain function was preserved a month later.

Survivors were considered to have fared well neurologically if they were alert and able to return to normal activities, or if they had moderate disability but were well enough to work part-time in a sheltered environment or take part in daily activities independently.

The time between collapse and return of spontaneous circulation for those who fared well was 13 minutes compared to about 21 minutes for those who suffered severe brain disability, Ken Nagao, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director-in-chief of the Department of Cardiology, CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care at Surugadai Nihon University Hospital in Tokyo, said.

Based on the relationship between favorable brain outcomes and the time from collapse to a return of spontaneous circulation, the researchers calculated that CPR lasting 38 minutes or more was advisable.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.