THE DEBILITATING AND FATAL EFFECTS OF HYPOXIC BLACKOUT
The above stock image is a dramatic illustration of a man drowning
Hypoxic blackout, which is also known as 'shallow water blackout', is a condition in which the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply.
It can be caused by hyperventilation before swimming or holding one's breath under water for an extended period of time.
Those who are at most risk are competitive swimmer whose must swim long distances underwater as well as free swimmers.
In the first stage, the swimmer begins to hyperventilate and is overcome by overbreathing.
This results in artificially lowered levels of carbon dioxide in the body.
Since the swimmer is holding their breath, oxygen is metabolized and carbon dioxide levels increase.
The longer the swimmer holds their breath, the more the body becomes starved of oxygen.
Normally, an increase in carbon dioxide would send a signal to the body to inhale.
But carbon dioxide levels were low on submersion because of hyperventilation.
The low level of carbon dioxide means there isn't enough to trigger the need for the swimmer to come up for air.
As a result, the swimmer loses consciousness.
Once a swimmer loses consciousness in the water, the body reacts and forces a breath.
This causes the lungs to fill with water.
If a trained rescue worker isn't on site to deal with the issue immediately, it is all but certain that the swimmer would die of either cardiac arrest or drowning.
Source: Swimming World
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