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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:30 First aid for a gunshot wound
1:21 Managing bleeding
2:16 Outlook



A gunshot wound (GSW) is a penetrating injury caused by a projectile (e.g. a bullet) from a gun (typically firearm or air gun).[11][12] Damages may include bleeding, bone fractures, organ damage, wound infection, loss of the ability to move part of the body and, in more severe cases, death.[2] Damage depends on the part of the body hit, the path the bullet follows through the body, and the type and speed of the bullet.[12] Long-term complications can include lead poisoning and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[1][2][13]

Factors that determine rates of gun violence vary by country.[5] These factors may include the illegal drug trade, easy access to firearms, substance misuse including alcohol, mental health problems, firearm laws, social attitudes, economic differences and occupations such as being a police officer.[5][6] Where guns are more common, altercations more often end in death.[14]

Before management begins it should be verified the area is safe.[9] This is followed by stopping major bleeding, then assessing and supporting the airway, breathing, and circulation.[9] Firearm laws, particularly background checks and permit to purchase, decrease the risk of death from firearms.[7] Safer firearm storage may decrease the risk of firearm-related deaths in children.[8]

In 2015, about a million gunshot wounds occurred from interpersonal violence.[10] In 2016, firearms resulted in 251,000 deaths globally, up from 209,000 in 1990.[5] Of these deaths 161,000 (64%) were the result of assault, 67,500 (27%) were the result of suicide, and 23,000 (9%) were accidents.[5] In the United States, guns resulted in about 40,000 deaths in 2017.[15] Firearm-related deaths are most common in males between the ages of 20 to 24 years.[5] Economic costs due to gunshot wounds have been estimated at US$140 billion a year in the United States.[