Afogamento

Abstract

Drowning is defined as difficulty breathing due to immersion or submersion in a liquid medium, which may be non-corporeal or bodily resulting in difficulty breathing or asphyxiation. According to data from the World Health Organization, it is estimated that 236,000 people drown each year, with more 90% of these deaths are located in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, despite this incident mainly affects young and healthy people, drowning is a trimodal event, being the first cause of death in children aged 1 to 4 years and the fourth in young people aged 15 to 24 years, in addition to the increased risk in the elderly population. Yet another group to pay attention to are epileptic patients, who have a 15 to 20 times greater risk of death from drowning. Although Brazil has a huge and variable hydrography, most drownings, according to data from the Brazilian Aquatic Rescue Society (Sobrasa), occur in fresh waters, such as rivers (54%) and dams (34%), as well as swimming pools, which is responsible for 55% of all drowning deaths among children between 1 and 9 years of age. Among the main causes are the inability to swim, risky behavior, alcohol intoxication, hyperventilation and lack of adult supervision.