Drowning

The Grief and Mourning Quiz 1859280

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Drowning Overview
• Drowning Causes
• Drowning Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Drowning Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Support Groups and Counseling
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Drowning from Healthwise

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 occur in home swimming pools.
  
  
• One-quarter to one-third of drowning victims have swimming lessons. Although drowning equally affects both sexes, males have a rate three times higher than females because of increased reckless behavior and use of alcohol.
  
  
• Children less than one year of age tend to drown in bathtubs and buckets because they are not coordinated enough to get out by themselves when they fall in. Older children aged 1-4 drown in swimming pools, while those aged 5-14 years tend to drown in lakes, ponds, rivers, and oceans. Adolescents and adults tend to drown because of impaired swimming ability from alcohol or illicit drug use.
  

Mammalian Dive Reflex

Drowning suffocation causes a lack of oxygen, resulting in death in only a few minutes. An exception to this rule appears in victims who have been suddenly and rapidly submerged into ice-cold water (<32F, 0C). Some of these people have survived up to an hour underwater without any resultant physical damage. This phenomenon is known as the mammalian dive reflex, which is activated when the face and body plunge into ice-cold water, resulting in the slowing of body metabolism as well as diverting blood only to the heart, lungs, and brain. If someone gradually becomes hypothermic (gradual lowering of body temperature), then this reflex does not apply. With the slowing of body metabolism as the body cools, the body uses less oxygen to survive. The goal is to rescue these victims before their oxygen is used up. This reflex is most often seen in children and may gradually be lost with aging.