Scuba diving can be an intoxicating experience.
A second study by the same team, however, shows that pseudoephedrine, a drug found in many sinus medications such as Sudafed, has only modest effects on brain function and is probably safe for divers. Both studies appear in this month's issue of the journal Pharmacotherapy. Scuba divers are particularly vulnerable to the mind-altering effects of certain drugs because of the way air is delivered from the tank. Nitrogen makes up about three-quarters of the air we breathe. Indeed, Kevin O'Toole, MD, one of the study authors, tells WebMD that every 33 feet a diver descends is the equivalent of drinking one martini in its effect on the brain.