[MR] The cold Water Consumption Dilemma-A question

[Taylor, Carole A.]

Yeah, that goes for diving into a swimming pool after you have been
soaking in a hot tub, too. I pulled a physically fit, 19 year old male
out of the water. He was in cardiac arrest. He didn't make it. Sorry for
the downer, but submerging people in ice water is a really bad idea.

Cat the Waterbearer


David Oxford wrote:

Subject: RE: [MR] The cold Water Consumption Dilemma-A question
Date: Fri, 2 May 2003 09:39:15 -0400


>> but I'm not so sure I would ever dunk anyone having
>> problems with lack of water/heat in ice water.

A wise decision.  Specifically, do not dunk your head and upper body
first into very cold water, particularly if you are hot.  Doing so can
trigger a sudden over-stimulation of the vagus nerve which can, in some
people, almost instantly cause your heart to stop.

My wife's uncle died that way.  He was a healthy, fit US Navy sailor in
his early twenties... dove head-first into some cold water when he was
hot and was dead before he returned to the surface.  Postmortem
confirmed he died of cardiac arrest.  Nobody would have thought he was
prone to that, so you never know. Best not to chance it.

Bryan