A gunshot wound requires immediate emergency response. Call 112 at once. The steps below are intended to bridge the gap until professional medical help arrives - they do not replace emergency medical care.
Understanding Gunshot Wounds and Their Severity
Gunshot wounds are high-energy puncture injuries that cause rapid, extensive tissue damage. Unlike ordinary lacerations, bullet wounds carry a compounded risk of internal bleeding, organ perforation, infection, and shock - all of which can be fatal within minutes if left untreated. Understanding the factors that determine severity is the first step toward effective emergency response.
Three Key Factors That Determine Wound Severity
Location of Injury
Head, chest, and abdominal wounds carry the highest fatality risk.
Projectile Size
Larger calibre bullets displace more tissue and cause wider wound channels.
Projectile Velocity
Speed has the greatest impact - doubling velocity quadruples the kinetic energy transferred to tissue.
Rifle rounds travel at significantly higher velocities than handgun rounds, meaning they cause substantially more internal damage even when entry wounds appear similar. However, any gunshot wound should be treated as life-threatening.
