Timely BLS is crucial because it supplies oxygen to the brain. After how many minutes without oxygen is brain damage likely?

Timely Basic Life Support (BLS) is vital because the brain is highly sensitive to a lack of oxygen, which can lead to irreversible damage. Research indicates that brain cells can begin to suffer damage within just a few minutes of oxygen deprivation. After approximately four to six minutes without oxygen, the likelihood of suffering significant and irreversible brain damage increases substantially.

Choosing six minutes as the point at which brain damage is likely reflects a more conservative and realistic estimate based on medical guidelines. While some brain function may begin to be compromised as soon as four minutes, the severity and certainty of brain damage become more critical after six minutes, emphasizing the importance of immediate response in emergency situations. Therefore, six minutes is often cited as the threshold where serious injury can be expected if oxygen is not restored, making this the correct answer in the context of understanding brain oxygenation and emergency care.