An unblinded training exposure to hypoxia enhances subsequent hypoxia awareness.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Malfunctions and human errors in diving rebreathers can cause hypoxia, hyperoxia, and/or hypercapnia. We evaluated whether a prior unblinded hypoxia experience enhances a diver's ability to recognise hypoxia and initiate self-rescue.

Methods

Forty participants were randomised to receive either an information leaflet describing hypoxia symptoms or an unblinded hypoxia experience, prior to a blinded hypoxia testing exposure during a virtual reality dive over one month later. The primary outcome was the comparison of the proportion of participants in these two groups who initiated self-rescue before reaching a peripheral oxygen saturation of 70% in the blinded exposure. An individual's 'symptom profile' was assessed by comparing symptoms during the unblinded hypoxi

SUBMITTER: Allocco A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12267069 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature