What is the term for any dive performed with nitrogen still in the diver's system?

The term "repetitive dive" specifically refers to any dive conducted after a diver has completed a previous dive while nitrogen is still present in their body. When divers go underwater, they absorb nitrogen from the air they breathe. After ascending, some of this absorbed nitrogen remains in their system, and if they dive again without allowing sufficient time for the nitrogen to be fully eliminated through surface intervals, it becomes a repetitive dive.

Understanding the concept of repetitive dives is crucial because it relates directly to the risk of decompression sickness, as the diver’s nitrogen loading increases with each subsequent dive. In contrast, altitude dives relate to dives conducted at elevations above sea level, decompressed dives deal with the necessity of stopping to allow nitrogen to safely leave the body, and technical dives involve advanced diving practices that might not necessarily relate to nitrogen levels in the same way repetitive dives do.