Acceptable levels of vital signs during diving

[stadler_cj]

I'm told vitals are at different levels while diving (that they're basically off the charts).

I have a hard time imagining that vitals would be any more extreme in a diver exerting himself than anyone else playing a very physical sport. Maybe the levels would be different, but more extreme? I'd be interested in finding out why I'm wrong about that.

Also, is there a list somewhere of acceptable vital sign levels for divers in action?

Thanks

 

[Randy43068]

I'd be willing to let you hook me up while I dive if you'd like.

 

[BlueC5Kitten]

I'm told vitals are at different levels while diving (that they're basically off the charts).

Curious about this statement...off the charts high or off the charts low?

I've been meaning to wear my heart rate monitor whilst diving, but the battery's gone dead...so no luck until I get that replaced. Resting HR is in the low 50s and I typicaly have 90s/50s blood pressure, so if it goes too much lower, I could conceivably pass out. :11:

If one isn't exhibiting any exertional behaviours and isn't stressed by diving (say a new diver, or a new environment, or current), is there any reason for your vitals (aside from possibly respiration rate, which should be slower and deeper than normal respiration) to be skewed from any other light to moderate physical activity?

 

[Gene_Hobbs]

Also, is there a list somewhere of acceptable vital sign levels for divers in action?

You should not expect to see much difference to non-invasive vital signs in normal subjects. We have recently shown large increases in PA and PA Wedge pressures (RRR ID: 3664) but no significant change in CO, MAP, or HR (RRR ID: 5194) with exercise at 122 fsw.

A good starting point for questions like this is Bennett and Elliott's Physiology and Medicine of Diving edited by Brubakk and Neuman.

As for the monitoring itself, I'd start here:
Lundgren CEG (ed). Monitoring Vital Signs in the Diver. 16th Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Workshop. UHMS Publication Number WS78-2. Bethesda: Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society; 1978; 108 pages. RRR ID: 4494

A few others worth a read are:
Blumenberg. Human Factors in Diving. Office of Naval Research Report. California Univ Berkeley. RRR ID: 6474

O'Connor. A Navy Diving Supervisor's Guide to the Nontechnical Skills Required for Safe and Productive Diving Operations. US Naval Experimental Diving Unit. 2005. NEDU-TR-05-09. RRR ID: 3478

O'Connor. The nontechnical causes of diving accidents: can U.S. Navy divers learn from other industries? Undersea Hyperb Med. 2007 Jan-Feb;34(1):51-9. RRR ID: 5513

Good luck with your project, if I can help you find any resources, please don't hesitate to write. You might also want to contact Dr. Curley at The Curley Team, LLC as he has the most experience of anyone I can think of (currently practicing) on diver cognitive performance and human factors engineering/ design in diver systems. Good luck on your project!

 

[TSandM]

Are you really immersing people with Swans? That's wild!

 

[Gene_Hobbs]

Are you really immersing people with Swans? That's wild!

Oh yeah... The current studies continue the CO2 project and also split to look at immersion pulmonary edema. Fun stuff, told you to come visit!

 

[stadler_cj]

Curious about this statement...off the charts high or off the charts low?

I'm told vitals are generally pretty well elevated. The only thing I could think of that would make a diver's vitals elevated beyond a regular athlete would be possibly a higher pulse rate to compensate for a little less breathed O2 over short periods. And I don't even know if that really makes sense.

Anyway, I need the info for a matrix I'm creating that will serve as the basis for algorithm development.

Thanks for responding.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Are you really immersing people with Swans? That's wild!

That is quite impressive!


As for typical non-invasive vitals, I know my resp rate and heart rate both remain the same or lower while on a typical dive. I have gotten myself into situations where everything has gone through the roof, though..... :11:

 

[stadler_cj]

That is quite impressive!


As for typical non-invasive vitals, I know my resp rate and heart rate both remain the same or lower while on a typical dive. I have gotten myself into situations where everything has gone through the roof, though..... :11:

I wonder if those situations were the ones my friend was talking about.

Are your vitals low because you're breathing straight O2 (or a highly oxygenated mix)? I could see how oxygen-rich blood wouldn't need to circulate as fast (perfusion would happen at a lower pulse rate).

 

[Dive-aholic]

No, the 100% O2 doesn't come until the end of the dive. I do regularly dive 32% on my typical dives. However, the reason my resp rate and heart rate don't rise is because I'm usually the most relaxed when I'm in the water. I'm at peace.