1. Epiglottis Prevents food from passing into the trachea.

2. Bronchus/Bronchi/Bronchioles The trachea passes into the chest where it divides into two tubes called bronchi (bronchus, pl.) The bronchi continue to divide into smaller tubes called bronchioles.

3. Alveolus/Alveoli The bronchioles continue to divide into smaller tubes until they terminate into microscopic (alveoli) air sacs. One air sac is known as an alveolus.

4. Pleura The lungs are surrounded by two layers of very thin membranes. One layer covers the lungs and the other lines the chest wall. The closed space between the two layers contains only a thin layer of lubricant to facilitate movement.

5. Hemoglobin A constituent in red blood cells that makes blood red, has the chemical property of combining with oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Combines with CO about 200 times as readily as with oxygen.

6. Hypoxia Low oxygen levels. (A high carbon dioxide level in the blood provides the greatest stimulus to breathe.)

7. Asphyxia Results if breathing ceases for any reason. Asphyxia is the existence of both hypoxia and carbon dioxide excess in the body.

8. Suffocation A term indicating stoppage of breathing for any cause and resulting in asphyxia.

9. Hypoventilation Inadequate ventilation of the lungs. (This produces insufficient elimination of carbon dioxide, and results in excessive levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.)

10. Hypercapnia Excessive levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. (hypercapnia results from hypoventilation.)

11. Skip Breathing Deliberate reduction of breathing causing carbon dioxide excess.

12. Hyperventilation Rapid, unusual deep breathing in excess of the necessary rate for the level of activity. Lowers carbon dioxide levels in the body below normal, producing hypocapnia.

13. Carbon Monoxide Toxicity Carbon monoxide, if present is high concentrations, will block the flow of oxygen to the cells. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vertigo, blackout & death.

14. Oxygen Toxicity Oxygen breathed at higher than normal partial (2 atm) pressures is toxic.

15. Hypocapnia Excessively low carbon dioxide levels, resulting in a feeling of light headedness.

16. Shallow Water Blackout Results from prolonged breath holding following excessive hyperventilation.

17. Near Drowning A clinical condition that follows suffocation by submersion in liquid after which there is at least 24 hours of survival.

18. Drowning Indicates death due to asphyxia which occurs within 24 hours of suffocation by submersion in a liquid.

19. Cyanosis Blue skin, due to asphyxia.

20. Spasm A sudden, involuntary muscular contraction.

21. Hypertonic Example: Saltier than blood. Sea water can cause damage to the alveolar tissue.

22. Hypotonic Example: Less salty than blood. Fresh water can cause damage to the alveolar tissue.

23. Secondary Drowning Because of the damage done by hypertonic or hypotonic solutions in the lungs, body fluids from the blood stream can weep into the alveolar spaces in a process termed secondary drowning.

24. Nitrogen Narcosis Nitrogen and other inert gases can have a narcotic effect when breathed at higher than normal partial pressures.

25. Decompression Sickness A serious bodily affliction caused by nitrogen bubble formation in the body and caused by too rapid of reduction of pressure.

26. Paresthesia & Hypesthesia The feeling of “pins and needles.”

27. Vertigo Dizziness

28. Bradycardia (Diving Reflex) Cold water in contact with our face causes a slight slowing of the heart rate.

29. Carotid Arteries The principle arteries supplying blood to your brain. The arteries have a sinus (small bulge) at a bifurcation (fork) of the artery in the neck. the purpose of the carotid sinus is to control your heart rate according to your blood pressure. Pressure applied to the carotid sinuses produces bradycardia, which can lead to fainting or dizziness, especially when exertion is involved.

30. Edema Tissue swelling

31. Barotrauma Physical damage to the body as a direct result of pressure changes.

32. Eustachian Tube The middle ear is connected to the throat by the eustachian tube which serves to drain and ventilate the middle ear.

33. Typmanic Membrane Ear drum. Failure to equalize pressure in the middle ear creates a pressure differential across the typmanic membrane, which can cause it to rupture with a pressure difference of as little as 3 psi.

34. Air Embolism An air bubble in the blood stream. If large enough, it can block blood flow, which results in tissue death, brain and heart damage or death.

35. Pneumothorax The collapse of one or both lungs. Air exchange cannot take place. Respiration is reduced or stopped and death can occur.

36. Mediastinal Emphysema Air escapes from the lung into the center of the chest. This can dislodge the heart and other organs and impair circulation.

37. Subcutaneous Emphysema After the tissue tear, air makes its way up along the windpipe until it lodges under the skin in the neck. Associated with pneumothorax.

38. Hypothermia The lowering of the body’s core temperature below normal.

39. Hyperthermia The rising of the body’s core temperature above normal.

40. Heat Exhaustion An illness characterized by fatigue, weakness and collapse due to inadequate fluid intake to compensate for loss of fluids from perspiration.

41. Alternobaric VertigoVertigo produced following a sudden release of pressure in an ear during an ascent.

42. Dehydration Abnormal loss of fluid from the body.

43. Diuresis Excessive excretion of urine.

44. Diuretics Substances that increase the output of urine by the kidneys.

45. Anoxia Absence of oxygen.

46. Apnia The cessation of breathing for short intervals of time.

47. Dyspnea Difficulty in breathing

48. Tachycardia Excessive rapidity of heart beat

49. Red Tide An extremely heavy bloom of plankton or algae.

50. Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Caused by chemical agents known as saxitoxin and neosaxitoxin. These agents are synthesized in shellfish, thus concentrating the toxins in their tissues.

51. Ciguatera Fish Poisoning Caused by toxins eaten by fish populations, then concentrated in their tissues. The larger the fish, the more the toxin.

52. Tetrodotoxin The most dangerous of all food poisonings. A very potent material found in the flesh of pufferfish, globefish, blowfish or swellfish. In high concentrations, the tetrodotoxin can cause death in a few minutes by stopping nerve functions.

53. Parenteral Toxins Toxins delivered by a venom apparatus.

54. Cnidarians (Coelenterates) True coral, soft coral, fire coral, jellifish, and sea anemones. These carnivorous animals are characterized by having radial symmetry, a gut with one opening and tentacles with stinging cells called nematocysts.

55. Hydroids Are from the Phylum Cnidaria (Coelentertaes) and include fire coral, the Portuguese man of war, and stinging “seaweed.” Many members of this group of carnivorous animals look like innocent plants. The hydrozoans produce symptoms which range from a mild itching to a severe painful sting.

56. Scyphozoans True Jellyfish. The symptoms range from a mild prickly sensation, itching to burning and throbbing, to shooting pain.

57. Anthozoans Stony coral and sea anemones. Causes an abrasion if scraped against.

58. Mollusca The Phylum Mollusca contains a class of gastropod shellfish (Conus) which contain a venom sac and a small poisonous dart capable of penetrating an ungloved human hand.

59. Echinoderms Starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. A group of exclusively marine bottom dwellers with external skeletons, protruding spines and radial symmetry. Sea urchins have hallow spines that can break off under the skin.

60. Venomous Fish Stingrays, scorpion and stonefish. As soon as the spines from these animals enter the skin, there is immediate, intense pain that may become excruciating.

61. Fresh Water Life Hazards Cottonmouth, water snakes, Alligator Snapping Turtles Alligators, Crocodiles, Muskrat, and Piranha.