Swimming is the best way to save a life in case of emergency but for some people even knowing how to swim is not enough to ensure their safety.
That's because certain diseases increase the risk of drowning, according to a new study by experts in Canada. For the study, a team of researchers reviewed data from a Canadian database on nearly 4,300 drownings between 2007 and 2016. Researchers found that one in three adults and children over the age of 10 had chronic diseases.
At the top were those with ischemic heart disease and epilepsy. Among women aged 20 to 34, the risk of drowning from epilepsy was 23 times higher than the general population.
"That's one of the dangers we warn people about," said Dr. Jacqueline French, a professor of neurology at the New York City School of Medicine and chief medical officer of the Epilepsy Foundation. These are risks we are fully aware of.
Benjamin Levine, another doctor, and professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center said that if you're having a heart attack on land, you can call 911, but if you're in deep water in a lake or ocean and If you have a heart attack or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) during this time, you may become unconscious and eventually drown.