A Development for Asthmatic Divers: Development of An underwater Inhaler

[Ollie Carter]

Hey Guys, Hope everyone is well! just wanted to put a post up to get some exposure and get some opinions flowing. Im trying to get some market research in the form of a survey for a project im doing in engineering final year at university. I am developing a solution for asthmatics, where i will be designing an integrated safe underwater inhaler, not only setting piece of mind for people with controlled asthma in the instance of an attack, but will lure more people to experience diving in all its glory! whether this will be a separate unit or a specially designed set of regulators is yet to be determined. Anyway, if people are interested please have a go at my survey, it would really help me. It is meant for people with or without a condition and people that havent got any need for an inhaler can give an opinion or any technical issues they might think ill bump into. Thanks so much!

Scuba Diving as an Asthmatic: What if there was a solution?

Copy and paste the link into your url to get to the survey

 

[kelemvor]

You've got a problem on your form question 3. The legend shows that the slider should go from 0-5 but the slider actually goes from 0-100. You might get people trying to actually slide it to a 3 for "some control" but I would expect 50 to be the "some control" choice. You should either correct the slider values or the legend otherwise your result will have to be discounted.

 

[Ollie Carter]

You've got a problem on your form question 3. The legend shows that the slider should go from 0-5 but the slider actually goes from 0-100. You might get people trying to actually slide it to a 3 for "some control" but I would expect 50 to be the "some control" choice. You should either correct the slider values or the legend otherwise your result will have to be discounted.

Thanks for pointing that out, should be fixed now

 

[Ryebrye]

I was surprised to see this, because in the USA anyone with asthma regardless of the cause is turned away from diving. Then I read the DAN report on Asthma and diving and I see that the UK is more lenient with asthma and diving:

Asthma & Diving — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

I see the UK is more liberal around asthma.

I'm sort of curious how the medication doses would work under pressure. Could it be as simple as a "spare air" containing a premixed air + medication dose in with them? Or does the dosage need to be adjusted at depth? (Would an increased oxygen concentration help or hurt?)

 

[Ollie Carter]

I was surprised to see this, because in the USA anyone with asthma regardless of the cause is turned away from diving. Then I read the DAN report on Asthma and diving and I see that the UK is more lenient with asthma and diving:

Asthma & Diving — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

I see the UK is more liberal around asthma.

I'm sort of curious how the medication doses would work under pressure. Could it be as simple as a "spare air" containing a premixed air + medication dose in with them? Or does the dosage need to be adjusted at depth? (Would an increased oxygen concentration help or hurt?)

Yes, from my research i found the dan process, where people with extremely well controlled asthma can still dive. As you say its a bit more on the individual for the uk. The route im leaning to at the moment will be a separate tube off of the octopus on the tank which will deal with the air supply, and will regulate it like a normal breath. while doing so the diver will be able to push the canister to activate as normal, hence then the meds flow to the person. the problem with having a separate air source or premix like you say would be having to remove your reg, and then having to put the new source in your mouth and then activate it. sounds cumbersome, and potential safety risks? Using your tank with no separate source and then just a plug in canister in the line ( of course with its own regulator system to control the air pressure as the breath is taken) is the best option i think.

Its aimed to set people with controlled asthma at ease, and potentially so more people feel able and confortable to come dive

 

[Ollie Carter]

as well, Im not overly concerned with overdose. Sulbutanol is very safe and can be administered from what i can see 10 times in short succession. The pain of it though definitely, and also the how good the delivery of the medication to the lungs is

 

[wnissen]

There's no option for asthmatics who don't require inhalers.

 

[Ollie Carter]

There's no option for asthmatics who don't require inhalers.

for each question there is a route to take as a non sufferer. on the slide bars select the most relevant (complete control, 0 severity) and the last 2 questions has a text box for people who havent got the condition to add their opinion

 

[wnissen]

for each question there is a route to take as a non sufferer. on the slide bars select the most relevant (complete control, 0 severity) and the last 2 questions has a text box for people who havent got the condition to add their opinion

Yes, I am an Asthmatic and require the use of an Inhaler
No I am not an asthmatic, But require an inhaler for other reasons
No I am not an asthmatic and do not require an inhaler
In question 1 you have two independent variables and only three states: Asthma yes/inhaler yes, asthma no/inhaler yes, and asthma no/inhaler no. There is no option for asthma yes/inhaler no.

 

[BlueTrin]

I was surprised to see this, because in the USA anyone with asthma regardless of the cause is turned away from diving. Then I read the DAN report on Asthma and diving and I see that the UK is more lenient with asthma and diving:

Asthma & Diving — DAN | Divers Alert Network — Medical Dive Article

I see the UK is more liberal around asthma.

I'm sort of curious how the medication doses would work under pressure. Could it be as simple as a "spare air" containing a premixed air + medication dose in with them? Or does the dosage need to be adjusted at depth? (Would an increased oxygen concentration help or hurt?)

I was turned away in my twenties and never thought about seeing a specialist for almost 15 years.

If only I had known