Traumatic injury: pre-hospital care

Traumatic injuries remain the leading cause of death on the planet. More than 5 million people die each year as a result of trauma, which is 9% of all deaths worldwide. The most common causes of death in this category are road traffic injuries, intentional injuries, suicide, and falls. In developed Western countries, injury-related deaths have been reduced due to prevention, measures to improve vehicle safety, and improved medical care. However, deaths due to falls continue to increase, partly due to an aging population. In terms of trauma, this is particularly true for young people who have many years of life left. Injury causes long-term disability in 6% of cases. Therefore, although the ideal approach is to prevent injury, measures to improve care after injury can minimize mortality and disability due to traumatic events.