Drowning: More hope for patients, less hope for guidelines

摘要

Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death in the world, accounting for approximately 450,000 deaths each year. Associated morbidity results in a further 1.3 million disability-adjusted life-years lost each year as a result of premature death or disability from drowning. Recent data shows no signs in of a reduction in death rates from drowning, with the UK recording 385 accidental deaths in 2010 while the USA recorded 3939 accidental deaths in 2007 giving an annual incidence of drowning of 0.7 and 1.3 per 100,000 population, respectively. Drowning is an area of resuscitation science that has significant gaps in its evidence which highlight the need for further research in this area. Survival rates from cardiac arrest are poor; those associated with drowning are particularly poor. Any research that contributes to our knowledge in this area is welcome. The two papers published in this edition of the Journal documenting significant numbers of additional cases therefore provide a useful addition to the world literature, assisting with our understanding of the pathophysiology and resuscitation from drowning.