What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated if taking 80 mg of atorvastatin for four days could reduce bubble formation in 16 military divers after a simulated hyperbaric chamber dive.
What They Found
The study found that 80 mg of atorvastatin taken for four days did not reduce the number of intravascular bubbles observed after a 60-foot, 80-minute dry chamber dive (z = 0.00, p = 1.00, n=16). While the medication significantly lowered LDL cholesterol from 107.6 to 79.3 mg/dl and total cholesterol from 175 to 147 mg/dl, this did not lead to fewer bubbles. However, factors like age, cholesterol levels, potassium, and calcium showed positive correlations with bubble grades in the placebo group.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This research suggests that Canadian divers should not rely on prophylactic 80 mg atorvastatin for four days to prevent bubble formation, which can lead to decompression sickness. Instead, divers should continue to follow established diving safety guidelines and protocols to minimize their risk of decompression sickness.
Canadian Relevance
Although this study was not conducted in Canada, it covers decompression sickness, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
The study involved a small number of participants and only investigated one specific dose and duration of atorvastatin.