What is a characteristic of saltwater drowning compared to freshwater drowning?

The correct answer emphasizes the difference in fluid absorption mechanisms during saltwater drowning. In saltwater drowning, the high salinity of the water leads to osmotic processes that can cause more significant fluid absorption into the lungs compared to freshwater drowning.

When a person drowns in saltwater, the surrounding seawater is hypertonic relative to the blood, which means that water will move from an area of lower solute concentration (inside the alveoli) to an area of higher solute concentration (the surrounding saltwater). This can lead to increased absorption of both water and salt into the bloodstream, which may result in greater complications like pulmonary edema and associated organ stress.

In contrast, drowning in freshwater typically leads to different pulmonary effects due to the lower osmotic gradient, leading to less edema but potentially more serious immediate responses, such as aspiration of large volumes of fresh water into the lungs.

Options like Mannitol treatment are not characteristically linked to either form of drowning, and are generally not part of standard drowning management. Survival rates and pulmonary edema risks may vary based on many other factors, such as the duration of submersion and the overall health of the individual, rather than being a straightforward characteristic of the type of water involved in the drowning incident