If we breathe out carbon dioxide why does CPR work?
In: Biology
AEMT here:
Your oxygen is saturated with up to 100% oxygen at most points. (Edit: unless you have underlying health issues) When your heart stops, it stops pumping. The oxygenated blood is still in your arteries, so by pumping the heart, it moves that blood to the tissues. The tissues then exchange CO2 with your blood, and the cycle continues.
You only have a small percentage of CO2 in your body, relatively speaking. This builds up over time, along with lactic acid(which is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, AKA: cells not having O2) and causes acidosis in your blood. You then need more advanced medications such as Sodium Bicarbonate, which helps buffer that acidosis.
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