[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Guidelines for Divers with Diabetes[/FONT]
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What was considered an absolute contraindication to diving is now openly supported for those who are medically evaluated and who carefully monitor their condition. Divers who use medication (oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin) to treat diabetes but who are otherwise qualified to dive may undertake recreational scuba diving, provided certain criteria are met. Those using dietary control will easily meet the guidelines. This was the result of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (UHMS) and the Divers Alert Network (DAN) published consensus guidelines resulting from their 2005 co-sponsored workshop, Diabetes and Recreational Diving: Guidelines for the Future. After scientific data review and related discussions, the conservative view held by the diving medical community on people diving who have insulin-dependent diabetes was relaxed. Guidelines produced from this workshop give the diver a means to factor in this medical condition and dive in a responsible manner.[/FONT]
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You can download the guidelines below. Please feel free to distribute this information to student divers asking about diving with diabetes. Note that these are simply “guidelines,” and not rules. Just as the RSTC medical form and accompanying guidelines for physicians are meant to assist the diver and doctor in making educated decisions with regard to fitness for diving, the guidelines for diving with diabetes should be used as an informational tool when the individual is medically evaluated for diving. [/FONT]
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You can order the full Diabetes and Recreational Diving: Guidelines for the Future workshop proceedings by contacting DAN Americas DAN Divers Alert Network - Scuba Diving and Dive Safety Association.