Why will people flying at high altitudes lose consciousness so quickly in a depressurization event when a human can normally hold their breath for much longer?

Question

Why will people flying at high altitudes lose consciousness so quickly in a depressurization event when a human can normally hold their breath for much longer?

In: Biology

Answer 1

You won’t be able to hold your breath in a rapid depressurization. Anything full of air, like your lungs, is going to try to expand due to the lack of air pressure and will severely injure you if you don’t get rid of it. You have no choice but to let the air get sucked out of your lungs. You won’t be able to “store” some to use for the next couple of minutes, like you could while holding your breath.