Death of Bollywood star raises concerns on “Bathroom Drownings”

Bollywood superstar Sridevi, one of the Indian film industry’s most popular actresses, drowned after passing out in her hotel bathtub in Dubai, police said Monday. The tragic death of Actress Sridevi from “accidental drowning” in the bathtub of a Dubai hotel room last week, has raised serious concerns about the safety of what is generally believed to be a stress-busting soak-in.

Dubai police confirmed on Tuesday the cause of death was “due to drowning in her hotel apartment’s bathtub following loss of consciousness”.  While deaths in a bathtub may be rare in some parts of the world, it is not uncommon in countries like the US and Japan. According to a study, an average 335 deaths a year, or nearly one a day, occur in a bathtub in the US.  Although being under the influence of alcohol or drugs contributes to the risks, quite often its not the case.

As in the case of SriDevi, some deaths attributed to bathroom drowning are heart palpitations, heart attacks and head injuries. In winter months when older people moved from warmer parts of their house to the bathroom, often going into thermal shock. Doctors advise that we avoid excessive changes in temperatures, soak in gradually and keep ourselves hydrated. 

The benefits of bathing in a sauna or steam room include stress reduction, muscle relaxation and pain relief. Sweating in a sauna cleanses your pores and can make your mind and body feel energized. Saunas aren’t right for everyone, however, and you should take some precautions when using a steam room or any kind of heat therapy.

You should never stay in a sauna or steam room for more than 15 or 20 minutes because the prolonged increase in body temperature can be dangerous. If you start to feel dizzy or nauseous, get out immediately, drink some cold water and cool off. Even if you feel fine after using a sauna, drink 2 to 4 glasses of water to replace the fluids lost through perspiration.

The American Heart Association warns that if you have high pressure, you should be careful about using a sauna or steam room. The sauna’s heat causes your heart rate to go up and makes your blood vessels dilate, which can cause chest pain or shortness of breath. It is safe to use a steam room if your blood pressure is under control, but you should get out immediately if you start to feel uncomfortable. Additionally, if you have suffered a recent heart attack, you should avoid using steam rooms or saunas. If you have heart or blood pressure problems, never alternate a sauna with a cold bath in quick succession.

Those with respiratory disease, heart palpitations, high or low blood pressure, diabetes and the elderly should consult a physician before entering a steam room. Pregnant women should avoid them altogether. Steam rooms have a negative effect on blood pressure, which inhibits oxygen flow to the fetus and may cause birth defects. Male infertility may also result from spending time in steam rooms. According to the Harvard Medical School, high temperatures can make sperm inactive and disrupt development.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2005 defined drowning as ‘the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid. There may be dry (drowning in which no water enters the lungs), wet (drowning in which water enters the lungs), or ‘near’ drowning, depending upon whether some water is inhaled into the lungs. However, there is no clinical difference in how the victim is treated or whether the final outcome is good or bad. The term ‘near’ drowning is used to refer to a victim who did not die, however, this term is no longer widely used.

Experts say drowning can happen quickly and quietly anyplace where there is water – such as bathtubs, swimming pools etc, apart from natural reserves and sources of water such as rivers, ponds, and the ocean. According to a report in the Telegraph, in 2012, Japan’s health ministry had launched an investigation after it was estimated that 14,000 people died every year in the tub. In America, someone drowns in a bathtub – hot tub or spa – almost every day, and the deaths occur proportionately in Western states, as per a report in the Seattlepi. The report added that these victims are often drunk or take drugs while soaking in hot water.

According to The New England Journal of Medicine, if a person is not rescued, aspiration of water continues, and hypoxemia (abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood) quickly leads to loss of consciousness and apnea. The sequence of cardiac-rhythm deterioration is usually tachycardia (a heart rate that exceeds the normal resting rate) followed by bradycardia (slower heart rhythm), pulseless electrical activity, and, finally, asystole, which is the most serious form of cardiac arrest and is usually irreversible. And the whole drowning process, from submersion or immersion to cardiac arrest, usually occurs in seconds to a few minutes. But in unusual situations, such as hypothermia or drowning in ice water, this process can last for an hour.

Here are five things to keep in mind while using a bathtub. Follow these tips to ensure that your bathroom remains a safe and relaxing place:

• The water should feel warm, not hot on your skin. The water temperature should be less than 105°F (40.5°C) – bath water that is too hot can cause burns with even brief exposure. So, always test the water temperature before to prevent burns.
• Put a rubber mat or nonskid treads on the bottom of the tub to prevent falls.
• Always fill the tub until the tub is about 2/3 full. This is important because once you step into the tub, the water level will rise. If you fill water to the top of the tub, bath water can get spilled over the sides, creating a spillage and then water could go everywhere.
• Remember, water and electricity don’t mix. Use a towel to wipe your body and prevent the water from coming in contact with anything that can be a source of an electric shock. Also, unplug small electrical appliances such as hairdryers, electric razors, etc beforehand, when not in use to avoid a shock or fire. Dry your hands completely before using even the smallest of electrical appliances.
• Never leave an electrical appliance near a bathtub, shower or sink.
• Children and infants should never be left in the bathtub alone, even for a few seconds, and the caregiver should not be distracted by other tasks or chores.