Animal studies have shown that fluid enters the body via the lungs in sea-water and fresh-water drowning. In fresh-water drowning in dogs, there is marked and rapid hemodilution with death due to ventricular fibrillation in about 4 minutes. In sea-water drowning in dogs, there is hemoconcentration; the blood water is lost into the sea water in the lungs with bradycardia and death due to asystole in 6 to 8 minutes.
Studies of human drowning victims show similar, but less striking, changes in hemodynamics. In human non-fatal submersion the problems are usually those produced by impaired pulmonary function and central nervous system damage due to hypoxia. Hemodilution and ventricular fibrillation have not been documented in human nonfatal submersion.
Therapeutic measures may be divided into those of an immediate urgent nature to be employed at the accident scene: expired air resuscitation, which should be started on reaching the unconscious victim in the water, and external cardiac massage, when indicated.
Later measures to be instituted in the hospital include: cardiac resuscitation, intermittent positive-pressure breathing, hypothermia, tracheostomy and tracheal tiolet, oxygen therapy, antibiotics, steroids, and intravenous fluids to correct defects in blood elements (hemoglobin, electrolytes, pH). Later, pulmonary function should be studied for impairment due to alveolar damage and fibrosis. Permanent neurologic sequellae may develop.
WS21.5 “Real world” use of intermittent positive pressure breathing in the acute management of adults with cystic fibrosis