What Researchers Did
Researchers continuously monitored the heart rhythms of 17 military divers in a hyperbaric chamber to understand how deep dives affect their hearts.
What They Found
In 20 dives made by 17 male military divers, researchers observed 10 PVCs, 45 PACs, four atrial runs, and four atrial pairs. While a significant prolongation of the PR interval and a decrease in QRS duration were noted at 50 msw, no clinically relevant arrhythmias were seen.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This research suggests that hyperbaric conditions alone, at depths up to 50 meters, may not directly cause dangerous heart arrhythmias in healthy professional divers. This could provide some reassurance for Canadian divers without known heart conditions regarding the direct impact of pressure on heart rhythm.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers aspects related to decompression, which is relevant to decompression sickness, a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
Study Limitations
The study's findings are limited by its small sample size of 17 healthy male military divers, which may not apply to the general population or individuals with existing heart conditions.