Asthma and diving

[melionda]

does diving affect people with asthma?How safe is it.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Very good question, panic can cause an asma attack, wouldn't want to be there when that happens.

 

[melionda]

then i better not panic lol

 

[Ber Rabbit]

http://scubaboard.com/search.php?searchid=363562 edit: Now the link isn't working, just type "asthma" into the board search engine and read through the threads that come up.
You will find in 2 things in these posts:
1. Asthma can kill you while diving whether you have an attack or not
2. Certain types of asthmatics can be certified to dive but they need to meet strict criteria.

Take some time and read through them, ask questions, talk to a doctor familiar with diving medicine and then make a wise decision. There's nothing in diving worth dying for.
Ber

 

[ShakaZulu]

then i better not panic lol

There are different levels of asma, I used to be on a oxygen tent when I was younger. I'm way better know and only suffer from the occasional light attacks (like when I see a hot chick). I use Flowvent to keep it all greased up. Check with your doctor.............

 

[rcohn]

http://scubaboard.com/search.php?searchid=363562

You will find in 2 things in these posts:
1. Asthma can kill you while diving whether you have an attack or not
2. Certain types of asthmatics can be certified to dive but they need to meet strict criteria.

Would you care to explain how you managed to arrive and conclusion #1?

Ralph

 

[starfish365]

Would you care to explain how you managed to arrive and conclusion #1?

Ralph

I was wondering that one too....asthma can kill you whether or not you're diving....maybe that's what was meant

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I am aware of a number of asthmatics that have their asthma under good control and dive frequently without ill effects. In fact I do not hesitate to buddy up with them given the opportunity. The important things are to have the asthma in control and to not be suffering significant side effects from medication.
My advice---- get it and keep it in control, and by all means keep on diving!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I found it in this thread post #10. I'll quote him below and highlight what led me to that statement as a general summary of what the rest of the asthma threads contain. I checked my link in the first post and it isn't working now so it may have been hard to find what I was talking about. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask, I was simply summarizing what I found while using the search function.
Ber

Chronic Inflamatory Disorder of the Airways

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A REPONSE TO Dean Harry

Asthma is caused by CHRONIC INFLAMATION of the airways, and this CHRONIC INFLAMATION causes them to be hyperresponsive.

Adding "triggers" to this underlying chronic inflamation can cause increased inflamation, increased mucus production, or bronchoconstriction. This is what people refer to as an "asthma attack".

It is important to remember that you still have asthma even when you are not having an attack.

This is ESPECIALLY important for SCUBA divers to remember, because the inflamation also causes mucus, which can "plug up" areas of the lungs, causing a risk of AGE. This chronic inflamation can be present along with these plugs, even when an "attack" is not underway.
I don't mean to discourage asthmatics from diving, there is a whole range of severity from mild to very severe, and there are guidleines already mentioned in other posts about this.

First, you MUST get a DIAGNOSIS from a physician. Not every wheeze means asthma. I highly recomend seeing a specialist if you are a diver, as I have personally seen a low level of understanding of asthma from doctors in my area.

Also, since divers must have EXCELLENT control of thier asthma, and since most asthmatics believe they are under better control than they actually are, I (again) say see a specialist.

You can learn a lot about asthma on the internet, if you have asthma and dive, you should learn as much as you can.

Some words for searches: global initiative asthma expert panel.

Some references:

From the Global Initiative for Asthma (WHO):

"Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. Chronically inflamed airways are hyperresponsive; they become obstructed and airflow is limited (by bronchoconstriction, mucus plugs, and increased inflammation) when airways are exposed to various stimuli, or triggers." http://www.ginasthma.com/

http://www.ginasthma.com/workshop/c....html#keypoints

http://www.ginasthma.com/workshop/table.html

From the Expert Panel Report II:
Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
Final version of the report from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program updating the 1991 Expert Panel Report
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
July 1997
NIH Pub. No. 97-4051:

"Asthma, whatever the severity, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. This has implications for the diagnosis, management, and potential prevention of the disease." http://www.ama-assn.org/special/ast...gen/pathdef.htm

 

[rcohn]

I found it in this thread post #10. I'll quote him below and highlight what led me to that statement as a general summary of what the rest of the asthma threads contain. I checked my link in the first post and it isn't working now so it may have been hard to find what I was talking about. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask, I was simply summarizing what I found while using the search function.
Ber

I
heard an estimate recently of 6 million certified divers, that may have just been in the US, sorry don't remember riight now. Using that number and having seen estimates of 2% to as high as 8% of divers have asthma (DAN PDE had 3.5%) we can estimate 120,000 to 480,000 diver with asthma. Now with that many divers, does anyone know of even one death caused by asthma without an attack taking place?



In a previous thread I have posted some comments by actual experts in the field of asthma and diving, http://www.scubaboard.com/t54527.html. Many had come to the conclusion in 1995 that the risk of barotrauma in asthmatics is either nonexistent or grossly overstated.



The DAN Annual Review of Recreational Scuba Diving Injuries and Fatalities. Based on 2002 Data. 2004 Edition by Divers Alert Network. Reports 6.4% of injoured divers had asthma. However only ~1% of the divers who died had asthma (means 1 out of the 89)

02-49 Medically disabled diver ran out of air, made rapid ascent to surface Cause of Death: Air embolism due to rapid ascent, insufficient air

This 54-year-old male had advanced openwater and nitrox certification. His medical problems included asthma, a herniated intervertebral disc, and a 20-year history of HIV seropositivity. The decedent was on multiple medications and was officially medically disabled. He had complained of elbow pain after a dive three months earlier but did not seek medical treatment. The decedent and two other divers made two dives from a boat. The first dive was to 102 fsw / 30.6 msw for 29 minutes, and the second dive was to 98 fsw /29.4 msw for 45 minutes. He ran out of air during the second dive and made a rapid ascent to the surface. The diver collapsed while climbing the ladder into the boat. He was pronounced dead in the emergency room of a local hospital. The diver’s main tank and pony bottle were empty, and his computer confirmedthe rapid ascent​

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Hardly what I (or DAN) would classify as a death caused by asthma.​

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IMO it is time to stop scaring asthmatic divers with unsubstantiated theories that are supported neither by the medical experts nor by the fatality statistics.

Ralph​