Hyperbaric diuresis and nocturia--a review

Human divers are now able to engage in a multi-day dive to a considerable depth using the mixed gas saturation diving technique, however their daily activities are somewhat limited in the depth. One of the major problems that has not been generally appreciated is the potential for body fluid disturbances at high pressure due to the development of a sustained diuresis. In addition, a marked nocturia has been observed in recent saturation dives at 26-31 atmospheres absolute (ATA), which disturbs divers' sleep during the night. In this review, we will briefly discuss the basic characteristics and mechanisms of these disturbances of renal functions observed during hyperbaric exposure.