Submersion into cold water can induce cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart rates) in healthy people, sometimes causing strong swimmers to drown.[1] The physiological effects caused by the diving reflex conflict with the body’s cold shock response, which includes a gasp and uncontrollable hyperventilation leading to aspiration of water.[2] While breath-holding triggers a slower heart rate, cold shock activates tachycardia, an increase in heart rate.[1] It is thought that this conflict of these nervous system responses may account for the arrhythmias of cold water submersion.[1]
Upon submersion into cold water, remaining calm and preventing loss of body heat is paramount.[3] While awaiting rescue, swimming or treading water should be limited to conserve energy and the person should attempt to remove as much of the body from the water as possible; attaching oneself to a buoyant object can improve the chance of survival should unconsciousness occur.[3]
- ^ a b c Shattock, Michael J.; Tipton, Michael J. (2012-06-14). "'Autonomic conflict': a different way to die during cold water immersion?". The Journal of Physiology. 590 (14): 3219–3230. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2012.229864. ISSN 0022-3751.
- ^ Tipton, M. J.; Collier, N.; Massey, H.; Corbett, J.; Harper, M. (2017-09-21). "Cold water immersion: kill or cure?". Experimental Physiology. 102 (11): 1335–1355. doi:10.1113/ep086283. ISSN 0958-0670.
- ^ a b Schmidt, Andrew C.; Sempsrott, Justin R.; Hawkins, Seth C.; Arastu, Ali S.; Cushing, Tracy A.; Auerbach, Paul S. (2016). "Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Drowning". Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. 27 (2): 236–251. doi:10.1016/j.wem.2015.12.019. ISSN 1080-6032.
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