arterial gas embolism (age) is a complication of lung barotrauma of ascent. it occurs when breathing gas is introduced to the circulation on the arterial side via lung over-pressure trauma. age can present in similar ways to arterial blockages seen in other medical situations. affected people may suffer strokes, with paralysis or numbness down one side; they may suffer heart attacks; they may suffer pulmonary embolism with shortness of breath and chest pain. it is often impossible to distinguish age from dcs, but luckily it is rarely necessary for physicians to be able to distinguish between the two, as treatment is the same. sometimes age and dcs are lumped into a single entity, decompression illness (dci).