Im in school and my instructor wants us to find the anwer to this question and give it to her tomorrow.
2006-07-18 12:22:44 · 7 answers · asked by mia11403 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
yes but not for long...
2006-07-18 12:25:56 · answer #1 · answered by Rufus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose it depends on how you define the word "Breathe" and what your time frame is of a stopped heart.
I'm sure it will take a few breaths after the heart stops for the breathing to stop as well. Physiologically, your diaphragm muscle is what allows you breathe by expanding and depressing your rib cage. Without sufficient bloodflow, muscles, tissues, etc cannot work. And of course you have to keep in mind that the purpose of breathing is gas exchange in the blood. If blood is not pumping/moving, the purpose of breathing is negate. Or if you want to rationalize it another way, the brain stem is the control center for breathing, without adequate blood flow, as mentioned before, organs and such will not function, therefore when that part shuts down, no more breathing.
Unless of course you bring in mechanical sources for breathing, but I'm not sure that's what your teacher meant.
good luck
2006-07-18 20:28:38 · answer #2 · answered by Bracket 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My first inkling was to answer no, however, it may be possible with what is called cheyenne stokes. It is the last few breaths a person takes before they die, irregular and sporadic, so I guess it actually is possible to have one or two breaths.
2006-07-18 19:38:43 · answer #3 · answered by cheri-er-rn@sbcglobal.net 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
CPR - in answer to your ? I'm thinking yes but not for long. you'd need CPR right away. is this just a general ? or has there been a reason to cause the breathing to stop?
2006-07-18 19:40:40 · answer #4 · answered by 1mom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No...usually in a cardiac arrest the person stops breathing first..then due to lack of oxygen the heart stops....and in children its almost always a respiratory arrest that initiates cardiac arrest....
2006-07-18 19:31:04 · answer #5 · answered by minx64 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes. my dad had sleep apnea. his heart would stop beating several times while he slept and he continued to breath, in fact he snored louder.
2006-07-18 19:39:06 · answer #6 · answered by ScooterB 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe one or two breathes ... but eventually your system will shut down.
2006-07-18 19:27:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋