Drysuit squeeze and Bloodpressure

[ScubaSteve2000]

I'm just getting into diving dry. I was wondering if there has been any research from Dan or some other organization on how drysuit squeeze affects blood pressure. I'd have to guess that my blood pressure goes up when I'm experiencing squeeze. If a diver already had high blood pressure are there any health risks?

 

[boulderjohn]

I don't have a good answer for you, and since I have never heard this question before, I wonder if you will get a good answer here. I have two suggestions.

• If you want to find out if DAN has any information on this, the place to go with that question is DAN. Go to that site and ask this question, or else give them a call.
• There is a diving medicine forum on this site that regularly draws the attention of MDs and others who will know far more than the average person reading this forum. Post your question there, or just ask that this one be moved.

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

I don't have a good answer for you, and since I have never heard this question before, I wonder if you will get a good answer here. I have two suggestions.

• If you want to find out if DAN has any information on this, the place to go with that question is DAN. Go to that site and ask this question, or else give them a call.
• There is a diving medicine forum on this site that regularly draws the attention of MDs and others who will know far more than the average person reading this forum. Post your question there, or just ask that this one be moved.

Thanks for your suggestions. The last time I contacted DAN with a medical question I never got an answer. Since I wasn't dying at the time I guess they had better things to do. If there is a better forum for this question the mods can move it at their convenience.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I'm not aware of any studies that have looked specifically at the relationship between drysuit squeeze and blood pressure. My gut tells me that moderate suit squeeze would have little or no effect on overall blood pressure. If you're curious, however, you can research a little about factors influencing blood pressure. There's a complex interplay of stuff going on in the kidneys, endocrine system, autonomic nervous system, and circulatory system. It's not as simple as: you feel the drysuit squeeze in a certain part of your body so that must mean that all of the blood is being squeezed out of that body part and into your circulatory system leading to elevated blood pressure. I suppose that, theoretically, lower body squeeze could increase venous return to the heart. That might have some effects on the heart and lungs. However, since the squeeze will be transient (it's just not comfortable to dive like that for long periods of time), any effects would be short in duration and probably of little consequence.

If a diver is known to have high blood pressure in the first place, it's in his best interest to get together with his primary care physician and manage it somehow. Elevated blood pressure puts one at higher risk of stroke, aneurysm, heart failure, kidney dysfunction, and vision loss. There are a lot of medications, lifestyle modifications (diet/exercise), and alternative therapies that can be very effective in the treatment of hypertension.

It should be noted that not all high blood pressure is primary or "essential" hypertension. It is possible that some other medical condition is causing high blood pressure as a secondary effect. In this case, if the underlying condition is treated, then the blood pressure should normalize.

 

[kanonfodr]

I know that if a drysuit squeeze is bad enough on a guy, it will more than likely cause high blood pressure. :help:

Peace,
Greg

 

[Thalassamania]

Squeezing your nards does not induce hypertension, just discomfort.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks for your suggestions. The last time I contacted DAN with a medical question I never got an answer. Since I wasn't dying at the time I guess they had better things to do. If there is a better forum for this question the mods can move it at their convenience.

Too bad about that, and I am surprised. I have asked DAN more than a few questions over the years and have always gotten a response.

BTW, a serious dry suit squeeze is indeed uncomfortable. I once had an argon bottle problem for only a brief period while descending, and it left bruises.

 

[cutlass]

I'm not a drysuit guy but it seems to me that maybe a better term for "suit squeeze" is "suit equalization". As such, the maximum squeeze is no more than what ambient pressure would normally exert on your body. OTOH, pockets/wrinkles of the suit might seal against your body and raise some welts as skin is drawn up to fill in the collapsing air pocket. But this shouldn't affect your BP. Cold, exertion, dehydration, anxiety would be bigger factors.

A tight neck seal could constrict blood vessels there, possibly resulting in flushing, dizziness, lightheadedness. Theoretically, heartrate could be slowed and BP dropped as a result of the collar stimulating nerve complexes in the neck (carotid sinus reflex).

 

[TSandM]

There are probably a lot of influences in diving that are more apt to raise your blood pressure than the degree of squeeze in your drysuit. Cold, anxiety, elevated carbon dioxide levels, and exertion are all factors that can raise blood pressure. Suit squeeze is only likely to very modestly increase peripheral vascular resistance in the skin and limbs. Since getting cold does this anyway, I'm not sure how much the suit could add to it. I don't think you have to worry about dry suit versus wetsuit diving, as far as your blood pressure is concerned.

 

[AfterDark]

Too bad about that, and I am surprised. I have asked DAN more than a few questions over the years and have always gotten a response.

BTW, a serious dry suit squeeze is indeed uncomfortable. I once had an argon bottle problem for only a brief period while descending, and it left bruises.

This reminded me of my 1st dry suit a UniSuit it had an
LP and a oral inflator. I always thought it was a good idea as you had an alternate method of inflation and the warm air of your breath inflating the suit was nice. We rely entirely too much on mechanical / auto functions these days IMO.

I'm just getting into diving dry. I was wondering if there has been any research from Dan or some other organization on how drysuit squeeze affects blood pressure. I'd have to guess that my blood pressure goes up when I'm experiencing squeeze. If a diver already had high blood pressure are there any health risks?


I have high blood pressure I don't know of any difference.
I don't however allow much suit squeeze and try to stay ahead of it. The reverse is true also, staying ahead of the expanding air in the suit during ascent. That's the only time I allow any suit squeeze. Just before starting my ascent I vent enough air to just start feeling a squeeze, then begin going up. If your going to use a BC then this becomes more important as you have dual buoyancy devices. If your just using the suit for BC then less venting would be appropriate before ascent. It's not hard, I got my 1st one before there were dry suit classes, and even I was able to figure it out.