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Joined on
2/9/2006
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I once heard that both recreational and commercial divers take aspirin to lower the viscosity of the blood in order to prevent decompression sickness. Is there any hard evidence that this works? Has anybody else heard of this? Has anyone used aspirin as a preventative?
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Joined on
3/31/2006
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Aspirin will not prevent decompression sickness but may be useful in treating some symptoms. The theory is that aspirin helps to reduce platelet clumping in the blood. Platelet clumping often occurs in serious decompression sickness and contributes to the seriousness of the disease. The efficacy of aspirin as a treatment in decompression sickness has been debated for as long as I have been diving (since 1973).
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