A near-drowning patient is likely to have which additional condition?

• A. Hypothermia.
• B. Airway obstruction.
• C. Internal bleeding.
• D. Hyperthermia.

Answer: (A)

Exposure to cold water during submersion rapidly cools the body, so hypothermia is a common finding after a near-drowning. The body loses heat quickly in water, and this drop in core temperature can occur even if the patient was rescued promptly. Hypothermia affects how the body manages oxygen and can lead to confusion, slowed breathing, and dangerous heart rhythm changes as temperatures fall further.

Hyperthermia would be unlikely in this scenario because the patient is in cold water, not heat. Internal bleeding isn’t a typical consequence of near-drowning unless there’s accompanying trauma, and airway obstruction isn’t the defining, lingering condition that develops from submersion itself—though aspiration during drowning can cause immediate airway concerns, the ongoing, secondary issue you’d most expect to see is temperature drop.