Blood thinners and thickeners

[PenguinAdLitem]

How frustrating. I finished typing out a message and thinko'd before posting, losing the whole thing.

Dr. Deco:

I wondered if blood thinners or thickeners might have an effect on deco physiology. In particular, do they have any effect on bubble surface tensions? If so, would taking a blood thinner some time prior to diving reduce bubble formation? Would taking a thickener post-diving reduce bubble growth?

 

[Dive-aholic]

None of the studies done indicate this would be helpful. In fact, you could be harming yourself by doing this. It's best to just dive conservatively and let your body do what it needs to do.

 

[mstevens]

I wondered if blood thinners or thickeners might have an effect on deco physiology.

Blood "thinners" don't change blood "thickness" in the sense of viscosity, which seems to be what you're thinking of. They are anticoagulants. Taking a "blood thinner" prior to diving would just make you more prone to bleeding in the event of an injury. I have no clue what a blood "thickener" might be other than some clotting factor. You DON'T want to load up your bloodstream with clotting factors unless you're short of them, otherwise there's a risk your blood could start clotting on its own within your blood vessels (disseminated intravascular coagulation). DIC is bad mojo. Start messing with your blood's normal clotting mechanisms needlessly, and decompression problems may be the least of your worries.

The biggest issues in decompression sickness, as far as I can tell, are in tissue compartments other than blood in any event.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello PenguinAdLitem:

Blood “Thinners”

As was mention already by a responder, “thinner” is a misnomer. Changes in the flow characteristics of the blood, i.e., its viscosity, are not cause by these drugs. Rather, they prevent the coagulation of the blood, the clotting. This is a different matter.

Animal Studies

In the later 1960s and during the 70s, many experiments were performed on the mitigation of decompression effects with anticlotting compounds. These were performed using small animals and the endpoint was generally the death of the animal. This is different from joint-pain DCS, i.e., "the bends." Death is caused by a very large decompression with the production of numerous gas bubbles filling the venous system of the animal. So many bubbles are present that there is interference with the pumping of the heart, and death ensues.

As is evident, “decompression death” is not what is encountered by most recreational divers when they say they have a “hit.” Thank goodness.

Anticoagulants were of help in reducing the incidence of death in the animals; the idea was extrapolated to include humans and “the bends.” This was an error.

Dr Deco :doctor:

The next class in Decompression Physiology for 2006 is September 16 – 17. :1book: http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/advdeco.htm

 

[DivesWithTurtles]

Something you do want to do (as I understand it) is keep the viscosity of the blood thin and the volume of blood high. You do that by hydrating, hydrating, and hydrating some more!

 

[DocVikingo]

Something you do want to do (as I understand it) is keep the viscosity of the blood thin and the volume of blood high. You do that by hydrating, hydrating, and hydrating some more!

Bingo.

Regards,

DocVikingo