IndigoBlue:The terms are stated in the NAUI medical forms.
1. If you found "chronic heart disease" on a NAUI form, I still argue it doesn't make sense. If it's there, that's for a physician to interpret & decide which chronic heart disease a potential diver has, and whether or not diving should be contraindicated. It does not imply that all patients with any sort of heart disease should not be allowed to dive.
2. I don't see "chronic heart disease" on the NAUI medical evaluation and physician approval form. Furthermore, there are far more absolute contraindications to diving than the 4 you listed, and these are outlined nicely on their form. Regarding the four you mentioned, note that:
1. ACTIVE asthma is an absolute contraindication; adding that one word clearly opens this interpretation up to a wide range of debate, which has been beaten to death in other threads & forums, and need not be rehashed here.
2. Cerebral palsy without history of seizure is a relative contraindication only.
3. The only cardiovascular ABSOLUTE contraindications listed are asymmetric septal hypertrophy with valvular stenosis (more commonly referred to now as hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, or HOCM) and congestive heart failure. Multiple other "chronic heart diseases" are relative contraindications only...i.e., let the physician provide advice.
4. Diabetics requiring insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents are listed by NAUI as an absolute contraindication. This could be further discussed with a dive physician, as I believe that even these cases can be individualized.
jim