Rules for resuscitation in case of drowning. Forecast and resuscitation in cerebral disorders

In summer, especially in the scorching heat, most people tend to spend time near water bodies. And none of them is immune from an accident on the water, threatening drowning. This may occur according to different reasons: carelessness on the water, sudden deterioration well-being, seizures lower extremities And so on. What to do in such critical situation, and what should be the first aid for drowning, everyone should know.

Drowning is a life-threatening condition characterized by the onset of asphyxia as a result of fluid entering or swelling of the lungs. Thus, the drowned person dies due to respiratory failure. When drowning in fresh water, death occurs from the cessation of circulatory function as a result of a violation of contractions of the heart ventricles. When fresh water is absorbed into the blood during its penetration into the lungs, it liquefies, increasing in volume, while erythrocytes are destroyed. Sometimes there is pulmonary edema. When drowning in sea water, the blood, on the contrary, thickens, large cluster fluid in the alveoli causes them to stretch and rupture. There is pulmonary edema, and as a result of a violation of gas exchange, cardiac arrest occurs.

Based on this, classify true drowning, imaginary, or syncopal, as well as asphyxial.

True drowning is characterized by the onset of death as a result of respiratory failure due to the ingress of water or other liquid into the lungs. At the same time, the skin turns blue, hence another name for this condition is “blue” asphyxia. If you get the victim out of the water in time, you can take successful rehabilitation measures while maintaining respiratory and cardiac activity.

Syncopal drowning is characterized by reflex cardiac arrest, while there may be little or no water in the lungs. In another way, this condition is called "white" asphyxia, because the skin of the victim acquires a white tint. This type of drowning is usually accompanied by severe fright or spasm due to the harsh cold, but white asphyxia allows you to do more favorable forecasts regarding further resuscitation of the victim than other types.

Asphyxic drowning is a condition that often results in death due to laryngospasm, although no water enters the lungs. External signs drowning at the same time occupy a middle position between the first two types of drowning. This asphyxia, as a rule, is a consequence of a depressed state. central nervous system due to alcohol intoxication, poisoning, intoxication. It should be noted that the rehabilitation of this type of asphyxia is the most difficult.

Thus, if, upon the occurrence of an accident on the water, it was possible to determine the type of drowning, you can try to provide appropriate assistance before the arrival of the medical team, so that the drowning person can be saved.

First aid for drowning

In general, first aid for drowning consists of two stages of activities: removing the victim from the reservoir and taking rescue measures on the shore.


First aid for drowning

The first stage should be carried out in such a way that the rescuer himself does not suffer, since a drowning person in consciousness can behave inappropriately, which can harm the person helping him. Therefore, when saving a person, you need to be very careful: if you can reach him from the shore or other stable surface, it is best to give him a stick, oar, rope, life buoy. If it is far enough away, you will have to swim, while acting quickly and accurately. You need to grab him from behind by the neck or by the hair and quickly drag him to the shore. In no case should you jump into the water to help a drowning person if swimming skills are very weak.

The second stage of rescue measures consists of providing the first medical care on the shore.

First aid for drowning

Assistance should be based on signs consistent with any type of drowning that was described above. If a person is conscious, you can limit yourself to calming and warming the victim. First aid for drowning an unconscious person begins with the removal of water from respiratory tract with the exception of the state of white asphyxia, in which you can immediately begin resuscitation. With blue asphyxia, sand, algae, mud must be removed from the mouth and nasopharynx. To do this, you need to: manually clean the oral cavity with a finger wrapped in a cloth, then induce a gag reflex in the victim by pressing on the root of the tongue. If the jaws are tightly closed, one should try to open them with a hard object and prevent the tongue from sinking.

The presence of a gag reflex indicates that the victim is alive, so his lungs and stomach need to be released next. To do this, you need to turn the person over, laying his stomach down over his knee, turn his head to one side, and then induce vomiting and press on the chest. These actions must be repeated until no more water comes out of the victim's nose and mouth. Simultaneously with these activities, you need to monitor the heart rate and breathing of a person in order to be ready for resuscitation.


The following actions are aimed at saving the victim if he no longer has a gag reflex, and specifically they consist in resuscitation.

Resuscitation actions

The complex of resuscitation measures consists of artificial respiration and heart massage. How is it carried out, at least in in general terms everyone should know. First, the victim needs to press on the stomach so that air comes out of the lungs. Then, the collected air should be blown into him according to the “mouth to mouth” or “mouth to nose” principle. Most effective way is from mouth to mouth, but it is not always possible to carry it out due to tightly closed jaws. Air is blown in at least 12-13 times per minute, periodically changing to abdominal pressure to make sure that all the air has left the lungs. If the victim's chest has risen sharply, artificial respiration has been performed successfully.


If the victim has no pulse, you need to do a heart massage. To do this, you need to put one hand on the heart, the second - across it and apply pressure with the whole body weight. If the weight of the rescuer is much greater than the victim, it is worth doing this with care so as not to break his ribs. Four or five pressures should be replaced by artificial ventilation of the lungs. If it was possible to return consciousness to the victim, there is no need to refuse the help of medical workers, since there is a risk of repeated cardiac arrest. The victim needs to be warmed, and actions on the use of drugs for respiratory system(ammonia alcohol, caffeine or camphor subcutaneously).

If there is a suspicion that the drowning victim has received any injuries, you should try to identify them without turning the person over. If the limbs have lost sensation, there is a high probability of injury spinal cord. Others most frequent injuries is the cranial and cervical vertebrae. The victim must be placed on a flat, firm surface without turning his head. If there is a risk severe vomiting, carefully turn the person to one side with the whole body, holding the head. The rest of the rescue actions should be taken by the ambulance team.

Today I want to continue the theme of summer holidays, but with a focus on water.

Of course, I would like the essence of the article to be as easy as its beginning, but, unfortunately, this will not work out here. Because the sun is getting hotter. Water in the sea and other bodies of water is warming up. The number of picnics is increasing. The degree in the body of many people rises, and sanity often fades into the background. The result is drowning. Moreover, as statistics and news reports show, people, despite all the warnings and other preventive measures, all also continue to sink. The reason in most cases is heat, alcohol, water - a cramp, loss of consciousness ...

Our mind can replace the three dots of the previous paragraph with “drowned man”, but I want to replace them with “saved person”, who next time will be more conscious about his own safety on the water.

Let's consider, dear readers how we can help in a situation where a person begins to drown and needs the help of another person. Moreover, after pulling a person out of the water, it is also necessary to provide him with first aid. So…

Help a drowning man. What to do?

If you saw a drowning person, no matter how trite it sounds, you must:

1. Pull a person out of the water;
2. Call an ambulance;
3. Provide him with first aid.

These 3 points, if done correctly and quickly, are actually the key to a successful conclusion to the situation. Delays are not allowed!

1. Pulling a drowning person out of the water

A drowning person in most cases panics, does not hear words, and does not understand what is happening. He grabs for everything that is possible and this becomes dangerous for the person who wants to save him.

If a person is conscious

To pull a person out of the water, if he is conscious, throw him a floating object - an inflatable ball, a board, a rope, etc., so that he can grab onto it and calm down. Thus, you can safely pull it out.

If the person is unconscious or weak:

1. While still on the shore, get as close as possible to the drowning person. Be sure to take off your shoes, excess clothing (or at least heavy ones), turn out your pockets. Jump into the water and approach the drowning man.

2. If a person has already gone under water, dive after him and try to see him or feel him.

3. When you find a person, turn him over on his back. If a drowning person starts grabbing you, quickly get rid of his grip:

- if a drowning person grabbed you by the neck or torso, then grab him by the lower back with one hand, and push his head away with the other hand, resting on his chin;
- if you grabbed a hand, then twist it and pull it out of the hands of a drowning man.

If such methods do not help to get rid of the grip, then take air into your lungs and dive, the drowning person will change the grip, and you will be able to free yourself from it at this time.

Try to act calmly and do not show cruelty to a drowning person.

4. Transport the drowning person to the shore. There are several methods for this:

- Being behind, clasp your chin with your palms on both sides and row towards the shore with your feet;
- stick your left hand under the arm of the left hand of a drowning person, at the same time, grab with your left hand also the wrist of his right hand, row with your feet and with one hand;
- take the victim by the hair with your hand and put his head on your forearm, row with your feet and with one hand.

2. First aid to a drowning person (First aid)

When you have pulled the victim ashore, urgently call ambulance and begin to immediately provide him with first aid.

1. Get on one knee next to the injured person. Lay him on your knee, belly down, and open his mouth. At the same time, press with your hands on his back so that the water that he swallowed flows out of him. The victim may appear and - this is normal.

If the person is semi-conscious and is vomiting, do not let him lie on his back or he may choke on the vomit. If necessary, help remove vomit, mud, or other substances that interfere with normal breathing from his mouth.

2. Lay the victim on their back and remove any excess clothing. Put something under his head so that it is a little elevated. To do this, you can use his own clothes, twisted into a roller or your knees.

3. If a person does not breathe for 1-2 minutes, it can be fatal.

Signs of cardiac arrest are: lack of pulse, breathing, dilated pupils.

If these signs are present, immediately begin to take resuscitation measures - do "mouth to mouth" and.

Draw air into your lungs, pinch the victim's nose, bring your mouth close to the victim's mouth and exhale. It is necessary to do 1 exhalation in 4 seconds (15 exhalations per minute).

Place your palms on top of each other on the victim's chest between his nipples. In the pauses between exhalations (during artificial respiration), do 4 rhythmic pressures. Press on the chest quite hard - so that the sternum moves down by about 4-5 cm, but no more, so as not to aggravate the situation and additionally harm the person.

If the affected person is elderly, then the pressure should be gentle. If the injured child, then press not with the palm of your hand, but with your fingers.

Give artificial respiration and indirect massage heart until the person comes to his senses. Don't give up and don't give up. There were cases when a person came to his senses even after an hour of such measures.

It is most convenient to resuscitate together, so that one would do artificial respiration, and the second.

4. After breathing is restored, before the ambulance arrives, lay the person on their side so that they lie stably, cover and warm them.

If an ambulance cannot arrive, but there is a car, follow all the above points in the car while driving to the nearest medical facility.

May the Lord keep us all, dear readers, from such situations.

Help a drowning man - video

There are three types of drowning: primary (true, or "wet"), asphyxial ("dry") and secondary. In addition, in case of accidents, death in water can occur, not caused by drowning (trauma, myocardial infarction, impaired cerebral circulation). In this article, you will learn what first aid for drowning different types better suited to the victim.

Types of drowning - first aid

Help with primary (true) drowning

It occurs most often (in 75-95%). Fluid is aspirated into the respiratory tract and lungs, and then it enters the bloodstream. When drowning in fresh water, pronounced hemodilution and hypervolemia, hemolysis, hyperkalemia, hypoproteinemia, hyponatremia develop, the concentration of calcium and chlorine in plasma decreases. The sharp arterial hypoxemia is expressed. When removing the victim from the water and providing him with first aid in case of drowning, he develops pulmonary edema with the release of bloody foam from the respiratory tract.

When drowning in sea water, hypertonic in relation to blood plasma, hypovolemia, hyperiatremia, hypercalcemia, hyperchloremia develop, and blood thickens. Characteristically fast development pulmonary edema with the release of white, persistent, "fluffy" foam from the respiratory tract.

Clinical picture primary drowning

Depends on the duration of the victim's stay under water. In mild cases, consciousness can be preserved, but patients are agitated, trembling, and vomiting is noted. With a relatively long primary drowning, consciousness is confused or absent, there is a sharp motor excitation, convulsions. The skin is cyanotic. Breathing is rare, as if convulsive. The pulse is soft, weak filling, arrhythmic. Neck veins swollen. Pupillary and corneal reflexes are sluggish. With further stay under water, clinical death develops, which turns into biological.

Help with asphyxia drowning

It proceeds according to the type of pure asphyxia. This state, as a rule, is preceded by a pronounced depression of the central nervous system due to alcohol or other intoxication, fright, hitting the water with the stomach and head. Often leads to AU special kind domestic injury - when jumping into the water head first in a shallow pond and hitting an underwater object, leading to loss of consciousness (as a result of a head injury) or tetraplegia (as a result of a spinal injury in the cervical region, due to a fracture of the spine).

There is no initial period for asphyxic drowning.

Agonal period during drowning

  • false respiratory breaths are observed,
  • rescued unconscious,
  • the appearance of fluffy foamy fluid from the airways,
  • skin integuments, as in IU, are sharply cyanotic,
  • pupils are maximally dilated,
  • trismus and laryngospasm at first make it difficult to carry out expiratory artificial respiration, but nevertheless, with an intensive exhalation of the rescuer into the nose of a rescued drowned person, in most cases, laryngospasm can be overcome,
  • the pulsation of the peripheral arteries is weakened, on the carotid and femoral arteries it can be distinct.

Period clinical death drowning

  • cardiac activity is fading
  • false respiratory breaths stop,
  • the glottis opens
  • muscle atony, areflexia,
  • the face is puffy, the veins are sharply swollen, water flows from the mouth,
  • lasts longer than with true drowning: at a water temperature of 18-20 ° C, the duration is 4-6 minutes.

The success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in asphyxial drowning is also doubtful: even with drowning in cold water, if the drowned person has no injuries associated with drowning.

Help with syncopal type of drowning

It occurs as a result of reflex cardiac arrest and respiration. Most common variant of this type drowning is noted when the victim is suddenly immersed in cold water.

This variant of drowning is observed in 5-10% of cases, mainly in women and children.

The clinical picture of drowning

  • severe pallor, not cyanosis skin drowned,
  • fluid is not released from the respiratory tract during either rescue or CPR,
  • no respiratory movements
  • rarely observed single convulsive sighs,
  • in "pale drowned" clinical death lasts longer, even at a water temperature of 18-20 ° C, its duration can exceed 6 minutes,
  • with syncopal drowning ice water the duration of clinical death increases by 3-4 times, since general hypothermia protects the cerebral cortex of a drowned person from the damaging effects of hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the blood).

First aid for syncope type of drowning should be provided on the spot immediately after removing the victim from the water - on the shore or on board the rescue vessel. When trying to help a drowning person, be sure to remember about your own safety measures (use aids- lifebuoy, inflatable vest, etc.).

First aid for drowning


Preparing for resuscitation

  1. Stop the flow of water into the respiratory tract.
  2. Free the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract from water, sand (silt, algae, etc.), using a gauze swab, handkerchief or other soft cloth.
  3. In case of true drowning, create a drainage position to remove water - lay the victim on the hip of the bent leg of the rescuer and squeeze with sharp jerky movements side surfaces chest(within 10-15 s) or strike with the palm between the shoulder blades. The best way to clear the upper respiratory tract, especially in children, is to lift the victim by the legs. This method is not used if respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest are reflex in nature.

Regardless of the water in which drowning occurred, when breathing and cardiac activity stop, the victim must carry out a complex resuscitation within 30-40 minutes.

Basic principles of first aid for drowning

  1. elimination of consequences mental trauma, hypothermia;
  2. oxygen therapy;
  3. in the initial period of drowning: basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the agonal state and clinical death;
  4. elimination of hypovolemia;
  5. prevention and treatment of pulmonary and cerebral edema.

Elimination of the consequences of mental trauma and hypothermia:

  • puncture or catheterization of a peripheral or central vein;
  • seduxen (Relanium) 0.2 mg/kg body weight intravenously.

With no effect:

  • sodium oxybutyrate 60-80 mg/kg (20-40 ml) of body weight intravenously slowly;
  • active warming of the victim: in case of chills, remove wet clothes, rub with alcohol, wrap warmly, give a hot drink; the use of heating pads is contraindicated if consciousness is absent or impaired.

Oxygen therapy:

  • 100% oxygen through anesthesia machine mask or oxygen inhaler;
  • at clinical signs acute respiratory failure - auxiliary or artificial ventilation of the lungs with 100% oxygen using an Ambu bag or DP-10.

Antioxidants (after 15-20 minutes from the start of oxygen therapy):

  • unitiol 5% solution - 1 ml / kg intravenously,
  • vitamin C 5% solution - 0.3 ml / 10 kg in one syringe with unithiol,
  • alpha-tocopherol - 20-40 mg / kg intramuscularly

Infusion therapy (elimination of hemoconcentration, BCC deficiency and metabolic acidosis):

  • rheopolyglucin (preferred), polyfer, polyglucin,
  • 5-10% glucose solution - 800-1000 ml intravenously;
  • sodium bicarbonate 4-5% solution - 400-600 ml intravenously.

Measures to combat pulmonary and cerebral edema:

  • prednisolone 30 mg intravenously or methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone, dexazone in appropriate doses;
  • sodium oxybutyrate - 80-100 mg / kg (60-70 ml);
  • antihistamines(pipolfen, suprastin, diphenhydramine) - 1-2 ml intravenously;
  • M-anticholinergics (atropine, metacin) - 0.1% solution - 0.5-1 ml intravenously;
  • insertion of a gastric tube.

Basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation in atonal state and clinical death:

  • Do not attempt to remove water from the respiratory tract.
  • After removing the victim from the extreme degree of hypoxia by the simplest methods of mechanical ventilation (“mouth-to-court”, Ambu bag, DP-10, etc.), transfer to artificial ventilation lungs with endotracheal intubation. IVL only pure oxygen under the guise of antioxidants (unithiol, ascorbic acid, a-tocopherol, solcoseryl).

Help with drowning


Help in the hospital with drowning

At severe forms drowning victim should not be transported to the nearest hospital, but to a well-equipped intensive care unit. During transportation, it is necessary to continue artificial ventilation of the lungs and all other necessary measures. If a gastric tube has been inserted, it is not removed during transportation. If for some reason tracheal intubation was not performed, the victim must be transported on his side with the headrest of the stretcher lowered.

Resuscitation technique

  1. The victim is removed from the water. In case of loss of consciousness, artificial ventilation of the lungs using the mouth-to-nose method must be started on the water, while the rescuer holds his right hand under right hand the victim, being behind his back and side. right palm the rescuer closes the victim's mouth while pulling up and forward his chin. Air is blown into the nasal passages of the drowned. When removing the victim to a boat or shore, it is necessary to continue artificial respiration. If there is no pulse on carotid arteries, it is necessary to start an indirect heart massage. It is a mistake to try to remove "all" the water from the lungs.
  2. In case of true drowning, the patient is quickly laid with his stomach on the thigh of the bent leg of the rescuer and with sharp jerky movements they compress the lateral surfaces of the chest (for 10-15 seconds), then turn him back on his back again. The contents should be removed from the mouth. If trismus of masticatory muscles has come, it is necessary to press with your fingers on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe corners of the lower jaw. If electric or foot suction is used to cleanse the mouth, a large diameter rubber catheter may be used. When carrying out artificial ventilation of the lungs using the mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose methods, it is necessary to comply with important condition: the patient's head should be in the position of maximum occipital extension. The lifeguard does deep breath and, pressing his lips to the mouth of the patient, makes a sharp exhalation. The rhythm of artificial respiration is 12-16 per minute.
  3. If the airways of a drowned person are obstructed due to the presence of a large foreign body in the larynx or persistent laryngospasm - tracheostomy is indicated, and in the absence necessary conditions and tools - conicotomy. After the victim is delivered to the rescue station, resuscitation must be continued. Most common mistake- cessation of artificial respiration Even if the victim has preserved respiratory movements, this is not yet evidence of the restoration of full lung ventilation. If the patient is unconscious or has developed pulmonary edema, it is necessary to continue artificial respiration.
  4. If the victim has a violation of the rhythm of breathing, an increase in breathing more than 40 per minute, a sharp cyanosis, then artificial ventilation of the lungs should continue. If the victim is still breathing, inhalation of vapors should be carried out. ammonia(10% ammonia solution). In addition to carrying out general resuscitation measures, the victim is rubbed and warmed. However, the use of heating pads is contraindicated if the patient's consciousness is impaired or absent.
  5. If breathing is disturbed and pulmonary edema has developed, these are direct indications for tracheal intubation and artificial lung ventilation, preferably with 100% oxygen. It is necessary to emphasize the danger of premature termination of artificial lung ventilation. The emergence of independent respiratory movements does not mean the restoration of adequate pulmonary ventilation, especially if pulmonary edema has developed. After the restoration of vital functions, hospitalization is mandatory intensive care unit. During transportation, it is necessary to continue artificial ventilation of the lungs and all other measures. It is better to transport the victim on his side with the head end of the stretcher lowered.
  6. It should be remembered that regardless of whether the victim is removed from the water with a saved pulse or he is in a state of clinical death, he can survive or die, depending on the nature of resuscitation and other factors. Attention! Resuscitation is significantly hampered in case of inhalation of water or stomach contents. In these cases, it must be borne in mind that fresh water from the lungs is quickly absorbed, so by the time the drowned person is removed from the water and his circulation stops, the lungs may already be dry.
  7. It should be borne in mind that the volume of aspirated fresh water that causes circulatory arrest is approximately 2 times less than sea water. Sea water worse for the lungs, insipid for the heart, but both damage the brain by suffocation.
  8. When providing assistance, it must be remembered that if a drowned person does not quickly recover, then this is not a reason to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation, especially when drowning in cold water (cooling protects the brain). When rescuing drowning (when the pulse is preserved) or drowning (when there is no pulse) with or without fluid in the lungs, one should not waste time trying to remove water from the lungs. Immediately start artificial respiration.
  9. It is best to start artificial respiration when the victim is still in the water. If this is not possible, then ventilation is started in shallow water, with the victim's head and chest resting on the rescuer's knee. Heart massage should begin as soon as the victim is taken out of the water.
  10. Further cardiopulmonary resuscitation spend on general rules. In this case, water and vomit can be drained before resuscitation or during its implementation. Periodically, one should not forget to clean the throat of the resuscitated. If the stomach of a drowned person is sharply stretched, it is sharply turned on its side and pressed on the epigastric region in order to remove the contents of the stomach. Sometimes for this it makes sense to quickly turn the victim face down and lift, clasping his hands under the abdomen. These manipulations are carried out as quickly as possible so as not to delay emergency oxygenation, switching (if possible as soon as possible) to oxygen ventilation. Attention! emergency hospitalization the victim is mandatory, since these patients often develop pulmonary edema.
  11. In cases where injury is suspected cervical It is expedient to place the spine injured while still in the water on a hard surface and take it to dry land. Recall that during resuscitation, the patient's head is thrown back moderately so as not to aggravate damage to the spinal cord. If it is necessary to turn the body, the head, neck and torso of the victim are kept in the same plane, without bending the neck.

First aid for drowning


How to help yourself with drowning?

  1. If something happens that you suddenly find yourself in the water, do not panic. By floundering desperately, you will tire more quickly and reduce your chances of survival. Try to save your strength.
  2. Scooping under you with slow economical movements, look around and orient yourself: how far is the coast, where help is possible, how many people are around. Consider the best way to escape.
  3. Puff up your clothes. If you don't have a life jacket on, she can partly replace it. Button up your blouse or jacket with all but the top pair of buttons, tuck it into your trousers, or tie the bottom ends tight. Take a deep breath, lower your face into the water, pull the collar of your blouse over it and exhale into it. Do this several times while puffing up the clothes. It is important that she remains completely under water at all times, including the collar. Then pull it tight to keep the air inside. Of course, such an impromptu life jacket will sooner or later be blown away. Then repeat the above.
  4. Do not throw warm clothes into the water. Do not consider it an extra burden that pulls you to the bottom. Firstly, it can become an additional float, and secondly, it will delay hypothermia (hypothermia). Try to lie on your back in the water, spread your arms and legs wider and row them to where salvation awaits you. The air retained in your clothes will help you float on the water.
  5. If the water is cold, swim faster to shore, trying to conserve energy and avoid hypothermia at the same time. Make economical, smooth strokes. Don't try crawling, move breaststroke or on your side. Tired, rest, lying on your back.
  6. If you got into strong current, try to use it and in any case do not swim directly against it. If it takes you away from land, move at an angle to it in the direction you want.

How to help another person with drowning?

  1. If you are standing on the shore, find a pole or a long branch and give it to a drowning person. If you are not alone, let them hold you by the belt so that you yourself do not fall into the water.
  2. If there is nothing to reach a drowning person, throw him something that replaces a life buoy - an empty canister, an inflatable pillow, a log. If there is a rope, tie it to this object so that you can pull it back after an unsuccessful throw or pull it to the shore along with the victim.
  3. If there is a boat, raft or other watercraft nearby, row it to the drowning person. Wear a life jacket if possible. In order not to roll over, drag the victim on board through the stern, and not from the side.
  4. If the described options are not feasible, it remains to jump into the water and swim to the rescue. However, this should only be done by a good swimmer who knows how to rescue drowning people. If you are not familiar with them and you do not have a life jacket, it is better to call more experienced lifeguards for help.
  5. If the rescued person is unconscious, give them artificial respiration or CPR. If the water is cold, remove the wet clothing from the victim and cover him with a dry blanket.
April, 20, 2018

Drowning is death from acid deficiency (hypoxia) caused by fluid blocking the airways. Most often, drowning cases occur in water bodies, but can also occur when immersed in other liquids.

The causes of drowning are most often in violation of the rules of behavior in water bodies, a sharp change in temperature and in injuries when diving into the water. Rescuing a drowned person is possible if first aid is provided to him immediately, because already 3-7 minutes after drowning, the chances of saving the victim are very small (only 1-3%).

There are three types of drowning: true, asphyxial and syncope. At true form drowning liquid quickly fills the airways and breaks their capillaries. Asphyctic drowning - the so-called "dry" type. Death occurs due to laryngospasm, which turns into acute hypoxia. The syncopal type of drowning consists in a reflex stop of cardiac and respiratory activity.

First aid for a drowning person

It is necessary to grab the drowned person under the armpits (it is better to do this from behind, then it will be possible to avoid his convulsive seizures), by the hand or by the hair and deliver him to the shore or boat.

If the state of the drowning person is satisfactory, he is conscious, breathes, he feels normal pulse, it must be laid on a hard surface so that the head is significantly lower than the body. After undressing the victim, you need to rub his body well, give him something hot to drink (adults are allowed to give even a little alcohol) and wrap him in a warm blanket.

A drowning man, unconscious, but with a palpable pulse and satisfactory breathing, throws his head back, pushing lower jaw. Having laid the victim, it is necessary to free his mouth from vomit, river mud and silt (for this, it is best to use a finger wrapped in a bandage or handkerchief). Next, wipe his body dry and warm, wrapped in a warm blanket.

If the drowning person is in a critical condition (unconscious, he has no breath), but the pulse is felt, first of all, you need to quickly free his airways from water and mud. To do this, the rescuer must put the victim on his thigh with his stomach and press his hand on his back in the area of ​​​​the shoulder blades. At the same time, with the other hand, you need to raise the head of the drowning person, holding his forehead. This procedure should not last more than 15 seconds, because the main thing is to immediately give the victim artificial respiration. In cases where, along with the lack of consciousness and breathing, cardiac activity is not observed, then artificial respiration should be carried out in combination with a heart massage.

After the restoration of the work of the heart, the drowning person must be taken to the hospital medical institution, because there is a risk of serious complications, which experts call secondary drowning ( respiratory failure, hemoptysis, increased heart rate, chest pain, pulmonary edema).

Special rescue services are involved in rescuing drowning people. However, such services are not always available in places where citizens bathe. In this case, only someone who swims well, knows how to act in an emergency, is physically healthy and trained can save a drowning person. The life of a drowning person will depend on his quick response and sequence of actions.

If you are not a very good swimmer and have no experience in rescuing drowning people, it is better not to take risks and do not swim to the aid of a person in distress, as this is useless and dangerous to your life. In a word, the consequence of your actions will be another drowning man.

But this does not mean that you and everyone else who is not very good at swimming should not know. Witnesses of drowning on the shore should immediately call an ambulance; enlist the help of others; find handy means of salvation; swim next to a person who rushed to save, for safety; prepare for the first first aid drowning.

Ability to provide resuscitation- a very valuable experience in a tragic situation.

How to save a drowning man


Types of drowning

In order for resuscitation to bring the rescued person back to life, you need to know what types of drowning are, and what helping a drowning person and will be effective.

Medicine distinguishes three types of drowning:

  1. White asphyxia or imaginary drowning is characterized by a reflex interruption of breathing and heart function, due to the strong fear of a drowning person, to choke. In this case, the spasm of the glottis prevents the flow of water into the lungs. Usually, with white asphyxia, some water enters the respiratory tract. The rescued person can be brought back to life even if about 20 minutes have passed since the tragedy. This is the most harmless drowning.
  2. Blue asphyxia or apparent drowning occurs as a result of water entering the alveoli of the lungs. The victim has a bluish face and ears, and the lips and fingertips are bluish-violet. Water enters not only into the lungs, but also into the stomach. Rescue of such a drowning person is possible only within 4-6 minutes that have passed since the moment of drowning. Later, irreversible processes occur in the body oxygen starvation and brain death.
  3. Under oppression nervous processes under the influence of alcohol or sharp decline body temperature ( cold water) cardiac and respiratory arrest occurs in 5-10 minutes.

However, in real life there are cases of resuscitation of the rescued, who have been under water for more than half an hour. Therefore, it is always necessary to continue resuscitation actions. long time with any type of drowning.

First aid for drowning

If the saved is conscious

Steps to help a drowning person with his independent breathing and the presence of a pulse, they consist in warming and measures that increase blood circulation and oxygen flow. Remove wet clothes from the victim, lay him on a hard bed, raising his legs in order to increase blood flow to the head (brain). Rub the body, cover with a blanket, drink warm tea. And be sure to call an ambulance, because later the rescued may develop complications from the cardiovascular, respiratory or nervous systems.

In case of white asphyxia

When the rescued person is unconscious, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be started immediately, as he may die from hypoxia. First you need to clean the mouth and nose of the victim from silt, sand, algae with a finger wrapped in a soft cloth.

Usually, with white asphyxia, there is little water in the lungs, but you need to let it leave the respiratory tract, laying the saved person on his knee with his stomach down, lowering his head. Press on the back, ribs or lightly hit between the shoulder blades. After liberation from water, lay it on a hard surface: sand, earth, floor. Place a towel roll under your neck so that your head is tilted back with your chin up, and start doing mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration if your mouth is not clamped.

Grasp the victim by the cheeks so that his mouth does not close. At the same time, pinch his nose with your fingers. Take a deep breath and exhale the air into the victim's mouth. Wait a few seconds. If his chest rises after blowing air, then you are acting correctly, continue such blowings 12-14 times per minute (one blowing in 4-5 seconds) until the rescued begins to breathe on his own. In the absence of a pulse, an indirect heart massage should be done at the same time.

With deeper - blue asphyxia

If a drowning person has no breath and no pulse is felt on the neck, the airways are filled with water, face, lips, fingertips of blue color due to pronounced hypoxia, first aid should be provided intensively and for a long time in the form of mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration in combination with heart massage.

If the mouth cannot be unclenched, artificial respiration "from mouth to nose" is done, simultaneously with a heart massage, after the airways are freed from algae, silt and water.

An indirect heart massage is done as follows: placing the palm two centimeters above the base of the sternum, cover it with the other hand and rhythmically press on the victim's body at a pace of 1 pressure per second. If the rescuer acts alone, he needs to alternate each blowing of air into the mouth or nose of the victim with 4-5 pressures on the sternum. The intensity of pressing on the sternum should correspond to the age of the drowning person: for adults - 60 times per minute with a deflection force - by 4-5 cm, for children under 8 years old - 100 presses with a deflection of the chest by 3-4 cm, and for infants - 120 presses, 1, 5-2 cm of the deflection of the sternum. Exceeding the strength of the heart massage can lead to breakage of the ribs in the victim and aggravate his condition.

More efficient resuscitation by two rescuers

Alone, the simultaneous implementation of artificial respiration and heart massage is not always effective due to the fatigue of the resuscitator. Therefore, it is better for a drowning person when these procedures are carried out
two people at the same time. One blows air into the mouth or nose of the victim every 4-5 seconds, during which the second rhythmically presses 4-5 times on the sternum (one press per second).

The resuscitation procedure should be done for a long time until the arrival of emergency medical care, or until breathing and pulse appear in the resuscitated person, or until signs of stiffness appear.

If during first aid the victim vomits, turn him on his side, clean oral cavity, then return to the back again and continue the revitalization activities.

When the rescued person begins to breathe on his own, and a pulse appears, he must be taken to the nearest hospital, since complications due to prolonged unconscious state, oxygen starvation of the brain and internal organs.

Visually assimilate helping a drowning person The video will help you: "Rescuers showed how to provide first aid to a drowning man."

Dear visitors of the site, knowing and helping a drowning person , You will be able to protect yourself and your loved ones, as well as save them and other people in trouble on the water.

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