Drowning

Drowning is a type of suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where... Wikipedia

  • Specialty:  Critical care medicine
  • Symptoms:  Event: Often occurs silently with a person found unconscious, After rescue: Breathing problems, vomiting, confusion, unconsciousness
  • Usual onset:  Rapid
  • Risk factors:  Alcohol use, epilepsy, access to water, cold water shock, storms
  • Diagnostic method:  Based on symptoms
  • Differential diagnosis:  Suicide, seizure, murder, hypoglycemia, heart arrhythmia
  • Prevention:  Fencing pools, teaching children to swim, safe boating practices
  • Medication:  Oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, vasopressors
  • Treatment:  Rescue breathing, CPR, mechanical ventilation
  • Frequency:  4.5 million (2015)
  • Deaths:  324,000 (2016)
  • Data source:  DuckDuckGo