Technical Diving

An article titled "Sidenafil pre-treatment promotes decompression sickness in rats" published by the National Institutes of Health concluded that a class of drugs known as phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors used to treat erectile dysfunction promotes the onset and severity of neurological decompression sickness in rats. A medical team at Duke University (the home of Divers Alert Network) has also studied PDE-5 inhibitors in rats and reached similar conclusions about increasing susceptibility to oxygen toxicity seizures. However, there is also some evidence of benefit to use as prophylaxis for a condition known as swimming induced pulmonary edema. Our conclusion is that rats should not dive after taking Viagra^®, and that technical divers should be especially cautious regarding pharma enhanced bedroom activities the night before any extended range diving. We are not joking and this isn't fake news.