Aspirin

[peter k]

As far as I am aware Asparin thins your blood down, so does anyone have any idea if this would work at all. I have two theorys;
(1) You're planning to do a 40-60min dive of which you'ld have a bottom time of 30-45mins.  Would taking a couple of Aspirin, immediately prior to the dive, help with your off-gassing on the ascent due to it beginning to take effect on the fluidity of your blood?

(2) You've left the water after two dives. Would taking a couple help with your general off-gassing.

  The reason I came up with this it that the WKPP site says Aspirin should be given to a bent diver for this very reason(to thin their blood) and I'm just thinking about pre-treatment with a couple of well-timed pills might just be beneficial when you start to off-gas in water. I suppose it all depends on how long before they take effect and how long before they wear off.

Just a thought!
Peter

[angus Theape]

Peter, I thought you were taking asprin for the headache given to you by your previous diving officer.

[peter k]

Christ no! That was the Heroin that numbed the pain he caused me.

 I got this idea from this teaching;
 If the diver has NOT taken one aspirin (ASA) earlier in the day, and they are not allergic to it, then administer one ASA.  Note this on paperwork.  800 mg of Ibuprofen (if not allergic) if not taken within the last four hours, should also be given.  Only give meds if the diver is conscious and can drink on their own.

The whole DSC treatment comes from this link;
DCS Treatment


Like I said it's only an idea, but all good ideas need to start somewhere.

Peter

[Mary]

Hope it's ok I've posted the above in Doctors.net see if any of the guys over there may be able to give you a more definitive answer.

[Fiona]

<font color='#0000FF'>Cheers Peter, I will be quite interested to read the outcome of this one.  On Wednesday I will start to take a low dose asprin daily to help with my nice lone flight to the Maldives (only two and half days left at work).  If it helps I might keep on taking it throughout the holiday.

Fiona

[Mary]

OK,

(I really should have known this but my brain wasn't working first thing this morning!)

Aspirin acts on the platelets (which are integral to clotting for those who don't know) and on the interior walls of the blood vessels making it less likely for blood to clot when in contact with them. Hence why you take them for long plan flights to prevent DVT as the blood isn't moving as much as normal so more likely to clot.


Aspirin does not therefore effect off gassing but is used in DSC treatrment to try and prevent any blood clots forming in vessels that may have been damaged by bubbles.

So taking it prophilactictly won't do anything unless you get bubbles and get bent ie. hopefully very rare, however there are side -effects the main being gastric ulcers and you don't want those, (they're rather nasty!)

[Dr Stevil]

Try garlic, far tastier, no ulcers and has same blood thinning effects. Plus garlic won't mask potential indicators of DCI as aspirin could, BSAC (and others?) advise not giving painkillers in case of suspected DCI for this very reason.
Chee-az
Steve

[Mary]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Steve W @ Aug. 19 2003,20:12)]BSAC (and others?) advise not giving painkillers in case of suspected DCI for this very reason.

seems a bit harsh, you don't not give pain relief to someone with appendicitis and thier clinical sighs are still apparent.

[Dr Stevil]

I believe the idea is to facilitate an accurate appraisal of the level of injury, consequently if they've been given analgesics it may not be as accurate and treatment could be affected. For instance if someone was taking painkillers to deal with their budding appendicitis and delaying professional medical examination it could be quite dangerous, denial is a huge problem in many such instances, especially DCI
Chee-az
Steve