SCUBA divers with PFO at higher risk for decompression illness
Written By : Isra Zaman
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2023-07-11 04:00 GMT | Update On 2023-07-11 04:00 GMT
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A study of a cohort of SCUBA divers has found that the presence of high-risk patent foramen ovale (PFO), or a hole in the heart, was associated with an increased risk of decompression illness (DCI), also commonly known as the bends. The authors recommend that divers with high-risk PFO should consider either refraining from diving or adhering to a conservative diving protocol.
DCI is a disease in which inhaled nitrogen is dissolved in tissues or blood under a high pressure during a diver’s descent and subsequently forms gas bubbles while they rise, mechanically affecting the tissue or inhibiting blood flow. A PFO enables venous nitrogen bubbles to embolize into the arterial system.
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