If a patient with an otherwise healthy heart stops breathing for any reason, the prompt and effective use of resuscitation equipment will usually be successful in reviving the patient. That is why the paramedics who arrived on the scene initially thought they had a chance to save Jackson because they were told that the arrest had just occurred a few minutes before their arrival. When it became apparent that the "time down" was much longer, no effort to revive would have saved Jackson. The paramedics responded with both the equipment and ability but were too late to make any difference.-Bruce G. Fagel