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Dr KK Aggarwal 28 February 2018
Dr KK Aggarwal
Recipient of Padma Shri
Actor Sridevi died of accidental drowning in her hotel bath tub after losing consciousness, according to the forensic report by the Dubai govt. on Monday. However, the report, which carries the stamp of the "Ministry of Health UAE" and the director of preventive medicine, Dubai, Dr Sami Wadie, does not state the cause of unconsciousness.
Can accidental drowning occur medically? Yes. Medical conditions can cause accidental drowning. Seizure disorders, which can be first-onset episode, can cause accidental drowning. Alcohol and/or use of illicit drugs increases risk of accidental drowning as it may affect balance, coordination and judgment. Stroke, syncopal attack (heart attack) or undetected primary cardiac arrhythmia are other factors that can cause accidental drowning. A gasping patient with ventricular arrhythmia will end up with drowning.
If there are no signs of struggle, then ‘accidental drowning’ can be a medical opinion. It is up to the police to accept this opinion or find it as a case of ‘homicidal drowning’ and investigate any foul play.
Some salient facts on accidental drowning
Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death. A victim of drowning can be revived by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with rescue breathing. Prolonged resuscitation, up to many hours, has been known to revive patients with hypothermia and cardiac arrest.
Antemortem drowning can be identified by the presence of fine, white, leathery, copious froth or foam tinged with blood at the mouth and nostrils (Froth is of lasting nature and large in quantity), cadaveric spasms in hands, diatoms in tissues from brain, liver and bone marrow of long bones, presence of water in stomach and intestines, voluminous water logged lungs along with fine froth in lungs and air passages.
A bathtub drowning is a major cause of death in a bathtub. The bathtub is the most common site of seizure-induced drowning; hence, patients with epilepsy should be advised to take showers instead of baths. Heart attack leading to syncope and subsequent falling in the tub can cause drowning. Besides the causes discussed above, mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR)-2 gene, which is associated with familial polymorphic VT in the absence of structural heart disease or QT prolongation, have been identified in some individuals with unexplained drowning. Concomitant trauma, paralysis, heart attack or hypothermia, which can lead to rapid exhaustion or cardiac arrhythmias are other factors for accidental drowning. Duration of submersion >5 minutes is the most critical factor.
Several studies have reported incidents of bath tub drowning with varying medical histories as follows:
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri AwardeeVice President CMAAOGroup Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Immediate Past National President IMA
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