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On Thu, 30 Mar 1995, Bridget Elliott wrote:

> Exactly why does diving in cold water decrease offgassing efficiency 
> ??? 

[Snip...]

> The only reasonable thing I could come up with, is that since 
> blood flow is reduced to the extremities and blood vessels in 
> these areas become constricted, the diffusion of gases at the 
> *cellular* level is inhibited.  Thus the "bottle-neck" to off-gassing 
> is in the extremities and not at the lungs. So is is not the cold 
> directly that is the issue, but constriction of the blood vessels 
> at the extrmeties. This is the only explanation that makes sense to 
> me.... Am I on the right track ?

Based on my understanding, yes, this is the "right track"...but then
again, I'm no medical expert, and I restrict my diving to nice warm
tropical reefs...

Aloha,
Rich



deepreef@bi*.bi*.ha*.or*

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