Drowning Overview and Physiology

Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid. Outcomes of drowning may be: death, morbidity, or no morbidity. In other words, a person may die from drowning; be injured in a drowning episode; or escape from drowning through rescue or other means. Drowning is a specific cause of asphyxia, resulting from the immersion of the mouth and nose in liquid - usually water - thus preventing the intake of air. Drowning begins with struggle by victim to stay above water, a period of panic, breath holding, loss of normal breathing pattern and air hunger. Patient outcomes are affected by several factors such as a length of submersion time, a temperature of water, presence of contaminants, freshwater or saltwater microorganisms, first aid treatment and time to a treatment center. Learn more about drowning statistics...

For detailed medical information, please consult with a qualified healthcare professional.