seadoggirl:
Also while we are asking question about DCS. Are there common prescription drugs or even over the counter drugs that would put you in higher risk for DCS? I'm writing a book and my villian (sic) wants to kill a diver and make it look like an (sic) DCS accident.
Hi seadoggirl,
Sure there are. Dehydration predisposes to DCS and drugs which contribute to dehydration include certain antihistamines, decongestants, diuretics, anti-asthmatics, antibiotics, alcohols, Vit D and its analogs, among many others.
However, given that DCS (decompression sickness) by itself is almost never fatal, this would be an extremely poor, and even silly, way to try to off some one. Even with DCI (decompression illness) involving AGE (arterial gas embolism), a far more serious condition, the fatality rate in recreational divers is less than 1 in 100,000 dives.
There also is the issue of autopsy, where most of the compounds that might contribute to DCS would show up in the toxicology results.
Since you have freedom to script the story within sensible bounds, perhaps you could get around the autopsy issue. Then you could get into some really effective drugs, such as a massive overdose of an anticoagulant (e.g., warfarin) which could seriously predispose the diver to death simply from bleeding-related processes caused by normal equalization techniques. This could be given orally without the individual knowing.
Or, if necropsy is unavoidable, something like succinylcholine might be a good choice as it's absolutely fatal given in high enough dose and typically becomes pretty much undetectable if not ID'd relatively rapidly. Problem with it is it must given by injection and has a very rapid onset. Maybe a villain could hit the diver with it u/w? Or, there are certain synthetic compounds designed to circumvent federal and state laws governing opiates and cocaine that have lethal doses so small as to be often undetectable.
You'll need to do some homework, but this should get you started.
Best of luck,
DocVikingo