Drowning (cont.)
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.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
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.
In this Article
- What is drowning?
- What happens during drowning?
- What are the complications of drowning?
- Does the type of drowning matter?
- What are the risk factors of drowning?
- What are the symptoms of drowning?
- When should one seek medical care for drowning?
- How is drowning diagnosed?
- How is drowning treated?
- How can drowning be prevented?
- What is the prognosis for a drowning victim?
What is the prognosis for a drowning victim?
The prognosis for many drowning victims is poor. The brain does not tolerate lack of oxygen well and the amount of potential damage is dependent upon the time the patient spends hypoxemic in the water.
Even if the brain survives, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may cause significant short and long-term problems as the lungs try to recover from their injuries.
The key to the treatment of drowning is prevention.
References: www.who.int (World Health Organization), "Drowning," "Facts About Injuries: Drowning."
Last Editorial Review: 7/15/2008
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