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Choking

Choking Overview

Choking is a blockage of the upper airway by food or other objects, which prevents a person from breathing effectively. Choking can cause a simple coughing fit, but complete blockage of the airway may lead to death.

Choking is a true medical emergency that requires fast, appropriate action by anyone available. Emergency medical teams may not arrive in time to save a choking person's life.

  • Breathing is an essential part of life. When we inhale, we breathe in a mix of nitrogen (75%), oxygen (21%), carbon dioxide, and other gases (4%).
    • In the lungs, oxygen enters the bloodstream to travel to the rest of the body. Our bodies use oxygen as a fuel source to make energy from the food we eat. Carbon dioxide, a waste product, enters the bloodstream and travels back to the lungs.
    • When we exhale, we breathe out carbon dioxide (8%), nitrogen (71%), and oxygen (16%).
    • When someone is choking with a completely blocked airway, no oxygen can enter the lungs. The brain is extremely sensitive to this lack of oxygen and begins to die within four to six minutes. It is during this time that first aid must take place. Irreversible brain death occurs in as little as 10 minutes.


Next: Choking Causes »

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Choking

Drowning »

Drowning Overview

According to the World Health Organization, drowning is defined as "the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid." Drowning outcomes should be classified as resulting in death, morbidity (sustaining an injury), and no morbidity. Most drownings occur within a short distance of safety and can be prevented.

Who is likely to drown, when, and where?

  • In 2002, over 400,000 people died from drowning worldwide. In the US, drowning claims nearly 3,600 lives annually and is the third leading cause of accidental death in the United States. For children, it is the second leading cause of accidental death for school-age children and the number one cause for preschoolers.

  • Two-thirds of drownings happen in the summer months: 40% occur on Saturday and Sunday. Some 90% occur in fresh water even in states with large coastal regions. More than half of these cases ...

Read the Drowning article »


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