The US Navy/Canadian DCIEM research initiative on pressure breathing physiology

Development of improved positive pressure breathing garments for altitude and acceleration protection has occurred without collection of sufficient physiological data to understand the mechanisms of the improvement. Furthermore, modeling of the predicted response of future enhanced garments is greatly hampered by this lack of information. A joint, international effort is under way between Canada's Defense and Civil Institute for Environmental Medicine (DCIEM) and the US Navy's Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Warminster (NAWCACDIVWAR). Using a Canadian subject pool, experiments at both the DCIEM altitude facility and the NAWCADIVWAR Dynamic Flight Simulator have been conducted to determine the cardiovascular and respiratory consequences of high levels of positive pressure breathing for altitude and positive pressure breathing for acceleration protection. Various improved pressure breathing garments were used to collect comparative physiological and performance data. New pressure breathing level and durahon capabilities have been encountered. Further studies will address further improvements in pressure suit design and correlation of altitude and acceleration data.