1. Defining Drowning: A State of Hypoxia
- Defining Drowning: A State of Hypoxia
Drowning is fundamentally a state of asphyxiation where the respiratory tract is blocked, preventing the body from receiving adequate oxygen. This obstruction can be caused by liquid, a foreign object, external pressure, or toxic gases. The physiological cascade is rapid and severe:
- The body, deprived of oxygen, initiates a panic response and makes futile attempts to breathe.
- This struggle leads to a depletion of oxygen reserves, causing a slowing heart rate, loss of consciousness, and eventual cardiac arrest.
- The brain and other vital organs begin to sustain damage from oxygen deprivation (hypoxia). Irreversible brain damage typically begins within 4 to 6 minutes of oxygen cessation.
- Death occurs as a result of widespread organ failure stemming from prolonged hypoxia and the complete stop of blood circulation following cardiac arrest.