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Scott Cherf writes: > > My question is, is the risk of hyperventilation increased by breathing > higher O2 fractions? Should a diver breathing EANx be more concerned > about slow deep breathing than an air diver? This topic wasn't covered Not to my knowledge, which is not that of a practicing doctor. I think about it this way: sources and gradients. Where does the CO2 come from? It is produced proportionally to work performed, including basal metabolism. Since CO2 is the dominant drive to breathe in those without COPD or other breathing disorders, and since breathing EANx will not cause you to stop producing CO2, you shouldn't worry about the source of CO2. Gradients control where it goes. Since neither (good) air or EANx contain noticable CO2 concentrations, you are going to offgas CO2 equally breathing either mix. Therefore your offgassing of CO2 should be equal. If your sources and gradients are the same regardless of mix, then you only have other breathing suppressants to worry about, not CO2. A lack of or suppression of the CO2 drive spring to my mind, as does drowning. I'd be more worried about the latter, as it often isn't controllable. :) Cheers, David Story NAUI AI Z9588, PADI DM 43922, EMT story@be*.wp*.sg*.co* Oxygen is a drug in California.
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