The primary objective of this study was to increase breath-hold time to a maximal safe level without danger of loss of consciousness or functional incapacity. The breath-hold project studied the effects of hyperventilation, work of breathing, breathing mixture and dive depth on immersed breath-hold duration.
This study was completed in 2005.
The research team at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology at Duke University Medical Center conducted a study of breath-hold diving in 2005. Breath-hold diving has been practiced for many centuries both as an occupation and for recreation.
The primary objective of this study was to increase breath-hold time to a maximal safe level without danger of loss of consciousness or functional incapacity due to hypocapnia, hypoxia or hypercapnia. It was meant to help develop an operational procedure for use by military divers. A secondary objective was the generalized study of the physiological effects of hyperoxia, hypoxia hypercapnia and hypocapnia as they relate to breath-hold diving.
Additional Reading and References
Publications
- You can download the following related workshop proceedings in the DAN Publication Library:
- 2006 Breath-Hold Diving
Peer-Reviewed Publications
- Pollock NW. Breath-hold diving: performance and safety. Diving Hyperb Med. 2008; 38(2): 79-86.
Conference/Symposium Contributions
- Corkey WB, Pollock NW, Natoli MJ, Vann RD, Thalmann ED, Lundgren CEG. PaO2 and PaCO2 during breath-hold. Undersea and Hyperb Med. 1998; 25 (suppl):52.
- Hobbs GW, Natoli MJ, Pollock NW, Stolp BW, Corkey WB, Gabrielova I, Hendricks DM, Schinazi EA et al. Oxygen-enhanced breath-hold diving: immersion and temperature effects. Undersea and Hyperb Med. 2000; 27 (supp):A130.
- Pollock NW, Vann RD, Thalmann ED, Lundgren CE. Oxygen-enhanced breathhold diving, Phase I: hyperventilation and carbon dioxide elimination. In: Maney EJ Jr, Ellis CH Jr, eds. Proceedings of the 17th Annual Scientific Diving. American Academy of Underwater Sciences: Nahant, MA, 1997: 123-131.
- Vann RD, Natoli MJ, Hobbs GW, Gabrielova I, Hendrick DM, Schinazi EA, Pieper CF, Pollock NW. Oxygen-enhanced breath-hold diving: O2 vs air. Undersea and Hyperb Med. 2000; 27 (supp):49-50.