Drowning and Scuba Emergencies

These flashcards cover important vocabulary relevant to drowning and scuba emergencies, providing definitions to enhance understanding.

Drowning

A process resulting in primary respiratory impairment from submersion in a liquid medium.

Laryngospasm

A brief spasm of the vocal cords that temporarily makes it difficult to speak or breathe.

Secondary Drowning

Deterioration of pulmonary function that follows deficient gas exchange due to loss or inactivation of surfactant.

Barotrauma

Injury caused by pressure changes, particularly in air-filled cavities in the body.

Pulmonary Barotrauma

Damage in the lungs caused by air trapped in alveoli that expands during ascent.

Nitrogen Narcosis

An altered state of mind caused by breathing nitrogen at high partial pressure.

Decompression Sickness

An illness caused by a build-up of nitrogen bubbles in the body due to rapid pressure decrease.

Cerebral Air Embolism

Air that enters the pulmonary capillary, potentially leading to serious complications.

Hypothermia

A medical emergency that occurs when a body loses heat faster than it can produce it.