Final answer:
Hypoxia can quickly lead to irreversible heart and brain damage. Brain damage may occur within five minutes without oxygen, and death within ten, while heart cells may begin dying after a few hours of reduced oxygen supply. Immediate treatment is crucial to mitigate the effects of hypoxia.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hypoxia, which is a decreased supply of oxygen to tissues, can cause significant damage to the heart and brain rather quickly.
Even without total blockage of a blood vessel, narrowing can lead to ischemia and subsequent hypoxia. The heart and brain are particularly susceptible to injuries from hypoxia.
For the brain, brain damage can occur within five minutes, and death may follow within ten minutes if oxygen supply is not restored. For the heart, permanent damage via cell death can start to happen after just a few hours of reduced oxygen supply due to ischemia.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is an example of how quickly hypoxia can affect the body. A high concentration of CO in the air reduces the oxygen transported to vital organs like the heart and brain, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and confusion.
Immediate removal from exposure and administering oxygen significantly shortens the half-life of carbon monoxide in the bloodstream and can help reverse the effects.
In cases of drowning, an unconscious person may still have a chance of recovery if they receive CPR within minutes. The success of resuscitation efforts significantly decreases as the duration of oxygen deprivation increases, with brain death likely occurring after around six minutes.