Influence of experience on cardiovascular diving reflex in professional divers

Introduction The underwater environment triggers the autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses during self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving, which aims to conserve oxygen during submersion. The aim of the study is to evaluate cardiovascular responses in professional SCUBA divers by analysing heart rate dynamics across dive phases and comparing responses between novice and experienced divers in a real-world setting. Method Twenty certified divers performed standard dives to a minimum depth of 66 feet and remained there for 5 minutes as part of the protocol. The dive was divided into six phases: rest, pre-dive, descent, bottom, ascent, and post-dive. The heart rate across different dive phases and cardiovascular reflex indices, such as heart rate drop and the minimum heart rate, is calculated. Statistical analysis was performed to comprehend the differences across phases and changes in cardiovascular reflex indices between diving experience groups. Results The statistical analysis shows noteworthy differences in heart rate across dive phases. The notable variations were between the pre-dive and bottom phases (p<0.05) and between the descent and bottom phases(p<0.05). The study highlights the persistence of bradycardia even when depth remained constant, and a difference of 7.71 percentage points in the percentage drop in heart rate between experienced and novice divers. Discussion Experienced divers showed a pattern of lower heart-rate responses than novice divers across selected phases of the dive. The findings point to the value of further work on diver health monitoring, training, and cardiovascular adaptation in larger samples. Experienced divers should be regularly screened for cardiovascular disease to avoid any adverse events.