Study of nitrites in the sаliva of divers like a preventive factor of decompression

Author: 
Nikola Shopov and Yordanova Mariana

Nitrates are a potent regulator of blood flow and vasodilatation via its metabolite nitric oxide. The aim of the study is to investigate nitrite levels in saliva of divers following intake of nitrate-poor food and their effect on the degree of gas bubbles in the bloodstream.
Eighteen divers took part in the study, in which saliva was taken twice through 3 days to examine nitrite. In the period between the two studies, divers follow a strict non-nitrate diet. After each survey, the divers conduct a dive in hyperbaric chаmber at 39 meters for 25 minutes, after which the Doppler monitoring is performed for evaluation the gas bubbles in the venous circulation. The results show that for divers with reduced levels of NO higher gas bubble levels are recorded, which supports our hypothesis that feeding with the presence of NO donors can have a positive effect by reducing decompression risk.

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DOI: 
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijcar.2017.7642.1197
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