"Would You Survive Cardiac Arrest Alone?" How I, a AHA CPR Instructor, Ignored My Own Heart — and What You Need to Know to Stay Alive When No One's There to Help
The Reality That Hit Home As a CPR instructor, I’ve trained hundreds—maybe thousands—of people to recognize cardiac arrest and act fast. Yet there I was, lying in a hospital bed, blindsided by the news: “Ms. L, your troponin levels are high.” What started as stomach issues and nausea turned out to be heart-related. The chest discomfort I had dismissed as reflux or anxiety was my body screaming for attention. Like many women, I had been brushing off symptoms for weeks. That moment forced me to ask: What if I had gone into cardiac arrest at home, alone? Would I have survived? Would you ? ❗ The Harsh Truth About Time: Every Second Counts Once cardiac arrest begins, you have about 10 seconds before losing consciousness. Brain damage begins within 4 minutes if CPR isn’t started. After 6 minutes without oxygen , the chances of survival drop drastically. EMS may take 7–10 minutes or more to arrive, especially in rural areas. Survival isn’t ...