Scuba diving, swimming and pulmonary oedema

Abstract

Diving-related ‘immersion’ pulmonary oedema is very uncommon and probably underreported.1,2 Immersion in thermoneutral water augments cardiac preload and increases pulmonary arterial pressure as blood is redistributed from the periphery to the thoracic cavity. Intrathoracic blood volume may increase by half a litre, resulting in a 30% rise in cardiac output and increases in right atrial pressures of up to 16 mmHg.