I've seen no medical confirmation of this but I think it works

[pilot fish]

I take an 81 mg aspirin each day as part of cardio fitness and also do it each day I dive. Since it helps change the blood viscosity, it would seem that it's also beneficial for the diver, in that, it would thin the blood and aid in the flow of N2 bubbles, helping to avoid, or lessen, the bends?

 

[mania]

Pilot fish this is a matter that have been discused by many MDs. Several years ago aspirin was advised as a medicine to be given when bents hapenned but as far as I know nowadays most MDs are against. And with any medicine you have to be carefull - generally taking them too often (if not prescribed by MD) may not be that blesfull as it seems.
Mania

 

[pilot fish]

Pilot fish this is a matter that have been discused by many MDs. Several years ago aspirin was advised as a medicine to be given when bents hapenned but as far as I know nowadays most MDs are against. And with any medicine you have to be carefull - generally taking them too often (if not prescribed by MD) may not be that blesfull as it seems.
Mania

I've seen no documentation that advises against it. Since it is a low mg dose it seems to have no adverse effects. One does not need a prescription to get or take 81 mg of aspirin. Since it has a slight thining effect on blood, it seems to be a good thing? Again, if I saw a specific warning for divers I would not take it but I have not seen nor been told of any. Actually, I have not heard or seen anything relating to it, ill effect, or efficacy.

 

[TSandM]

I am not aware of any effect of aspirin on blood viscosity (and I'm not sure why anybody would study that to be sure one way or the other). This idea may come from the inaccurate common parlance of "blood thinner" to describe anticoagulants. Aspirin's primary effect is to inactivate platelets, which are one arm of the blood clotting mechanism. When there is a need to clot, platelets become "sticky" and clump, helping to form plugs in the damaged blood vessels. After aspirin, they are unable to do this.

The physics of gas absorption and eliminate are related to the fluid phase of blood (the water component) for the most part, with the exception of oxygen uptake and transport. (That's a simplified statement, but it will do.) I can't think of any reason why aspirin or any other anticoagulant would affect this.

A diver taking aspirin would be somewhat less likely to have an underwater heart attack or stroke, but more likely to bleed heavily from a shark bite

 

[Daryl Morse]

You should post a question about this in the "Ask Doctor Deco" forum.

 

[mark99]

You should post a question about this in the "Ask Doctor Deco" forum.

There's a pretty complete thread on Ask Dr. Deco already, tho it's a couple years old:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=37471&page=1

 

[pilot fish]

There's a pretty complete thread on Ask Dr. Deco already, tho it's a couple years old:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=37471&page=1

"The DAN med-tech also added that in theroy currently being explored by DAN, they thought the thinning of the blood would make Nitrogen bubbles less of a threat, reducing the liklihood of DCS. Makes sense: thinner liquids moving around a bubble in a tube would flow better than thicker fluids. "

from your link

 

[pilot fish]

I am not aware of any effect of aspirin on blood viscosity (and I'm not sure why anybody would study that to be sure one way or the other). This idea may come from the inaccurate common parlance of "blood thinner" to describe anticoagulants. Aspirin's primary effect is to inactivate platelets, which are one arm of the blood clotting mechanism. When there is a need to clot, platelets become "sticky" and clump, helping to form plugs in the damaged blood vessels. After aspirin, they are unable to do this.

The physics of gas absorption and eliminate are related to the fluid phase of blood (the water component) for the most part, with the exception of oxygen uptake and transport. (That's a simplified statement, but it will do.) I can't think of any reason why aspirin or any other anticoagulant would affect this.

A diver taking aspirin would be somewhat less likely to have an underwater heart attack or stroke, but more likely to bleed heavily from a shark bite

Thanks Doc, good post. From one of the links provided I saw that DAN is currently exploring the efficacy of aspirin. You raise a good point about shark bite, although that is somewhat remote for me, hopefully, but it is interesting.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Given the physical mechanism of a shark bite and the consequent wound delivered, aspirin and its effect on bleeding will be the LAST of your worries.

Among other physicians, Dr. Theodore Rosenfeld advocates a prophylactic low-dose of aspirin on a daily basis.

 

[Snowbear]

You should post a question about this in the "Ask Doctor Deco" forum.

How about here in the Diving Medicine forum so the Docs can chime in...