Haemostatic Dressings in your First Aid Kit
Research shows that 40% of civilian deaths from traumatic injury occur due to exsanguination, or excessive blood loss, with between a third and half of these victims dying before they reach hospital.1Catastrophic bleeding is the second highest cause of death outside of the armed forces and is the leading cause of death in military situations.2
Traumatic injuries include stabbings and gunshot wounds, and injuries sustained in explosions, as well as vehicular accidents and major incidents with machinery or equipment in the workplace. The level of pre-hospital fatalities emphasises the need for expert first aid training to deal with such traumas, enabling first responders to prevent blood loss promptly and reduce the risk of death.
Catastrophic blood loss from a traumatic injury can be stemmed in three ways: by applying pressure to the wound, by forming a tourniquet to stop blood flow to the wound, and by the use of a haemostatic dressing.