DIVING AT ALTITUDE

Course overview

INCREASED POPULARITY IN RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING ADDS TO AN ONGOING CATEGORY OF DIVING-RELATED INJURIES AND ILLNESSES. WHETHER RECREATIONAL OR OCCUPATIONAL, SCUBA, OR SURFACED SUPPLIED AIR, DIVING AT HIGHER ALTITUDES MAY COMPOUND INHERENT RISKS. AN INDIVIDUAL INITIATING A DIVE AT ALTITUDE IS EXPOSED TO AN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE LESS THAN SEA LEVEL PRESSURE, WHICH IS THE PRESUMED ENDPOINT FOR STANDARD DECOMPRESSION TABLES. UPON SURFACING, THE DECREASED ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IN THE ENVIRONMENT EXERTS INCREASED DECOMPRESSION STRESS ON THE DIVER. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE RISKS AND OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR DIVING AT ALTITUDE.