Suffocation

About

Suffocation refers to a medical condition of deficient oxygen supply to the body that arises from abnormal breathing. This condition causes generalized hypoxia, which affects all tissues and organs at varying rates. Many circumstances can induce suffocation, all characterized by the inability of a person to acquire sufficient oxygen through breathing for an extended period of time. The condition can result in coma or death. The word comes from Ancient Greek, derived from the prefix meaning "without" and a term meaning "squeeze" or "throb of heart." In 2015, approximately 9.8 million cases of unintentional suffocation were recorded worldwide, resulting in 35,600 deaths.