Case Studies in Physiology: Breath-hold diving beyond 100 meters—cardiopulmonary responses in world-champion divers

Abstract

This study shows that world-champion breath-hold divers demonstrate incredible tolerability to extreme levels of hydrostatic-induced lung compression. Immediately following dives to >100 m, there were acute impairments in pulmonary gas exchange efficiency, mild extravascular lung fluid, breathing discomfort, and/or evident nitrogen narcosis, but by a few hours, these had all mostly resolved.