Would taking aspirin help to guard against DCS?

[Beau640]

^ that's not true. You do not form clots in your extremities when you have normal vasoconstriction. That would be part of frostbite and reperfusion syndrome. Normal dives or being out in the cold normally does not cause a bunch of platelets to clot in your fingers/toes.

I will not comment on if there is a true benefit to using ASA in DCI as I'm not a dive physician but it seems like a quick lit search reveals it doesn't make a difference to preemptively take it.

Also ASA's mechanism of action is inhibition of platelet aggregation. It does not break up clots that may already exist in certain disease states. It does not "thin" the blood. It does not increase perfusion. It prevents new clots from forming via platelet aggregation (there are still other ways to form clots though). The theoretical benefit to giving ASA in suspected DCI is to inhibit clot formation secondary to platelet aggregation during an immune mediated response to bubbles, if you are a believer in that mechanism of DCI.

 

[oldschoolto]

Well I'm on blood thinners for treatment of deep vain trombotris (sp) .. Diving for 5 years on 7mg a day of warfarin without any problems.. I do both deep DECO dives and mostly NDL dives in the 80-100 foot range... Also have MS... I just don't let it slow me down .. Well I'm not as fast as I was and need a nap.. LoL..

Jim

 

[joe10540]

Ok so the idea that ASA would help to keep blood flowing in cold fingers and toes doesn't seem to hold water with the articles linked. It also would appear that the reason it was included in DCS protocols was due to immune response not actually for blood clotting.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I take ibuprofen to help with any inflammatory response brought on by bubbles, but I don't have anything that says this is an effective measure.

 

[Sir Garreth]

While I'm confident in my knowledge on aspirin I am not well versed on DCS. Aspirin irreversibly binds to COX which affects the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. In a round about way these are responsible for 3 major processes in the body. That being inflammation, anticoagulant, and antipyretic (fever reducer). While it would reduce potential of blood clots during dcs, it wouldn't do much for any of the other symptoms or effects caused by DCS. DCS caused an arterial gas embolism am I right? In that case it wouldn't be dictated by platelet aggregation. Also, DCS causes "bubbles" to go in all tissue depending on severity in which cause aspirin wouldn't so much for. These things being synovial fluid causing joint pain or even spinal fluid leading to paralysis.

These of course are just ideas I'm putting out there. I could be completely wrong on the DCS side of things.

 

[boulderjohn]

DCS caused an arterial gas embolism am I right?

No, DCS and arterial gas embolisms are two very different events, although they can have similar symptoms.

 

[Sir Garreth]

Ok so the idea that ASA would help to keep blood flowing in cold fingers and toes doesn't seem to hold water with the articles linked. It also would appear that the reason it was included in DCS protocols was due to immune response not actually for blood clotting.

Now that's an interesting idea. Thromboxanes can stimulate interleukin synthesis which can be responsible for an immune response.

 

[Sir Garreth]

No, DCS and arterial gas embolisms are two very different events, although they can have similar symptoms.

And this is what happens when you do a quick search. Thank you sir

 

[uncfnp]

And this is what happens when you do a quick search. Thank you sir

Check out the 2nd post.

Air embolisms vs. DCS?

 

[uncfnp]

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