Scuba risk factors

I've just finished my Stress&Rescue diver course classroom and pool sessions under SSI.
In the text book, some scuba risk factors related to the diver are :
1. older than 45 yo
2. smoker
3. over weighed
4. regularly using medications
5. high cholesterol
6. illness or recent surgical intervention
7. asthma, epilepsy, or lung/respiratory problems

Though it's pretty clear points 2 to 7, I'm concerned with point Nro 1.
As per this poll : http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/381337-average-age-divers-today.html
the greatest percentage of divers (27.1 %) is in the range of 50 to 59 years old, I'm in this range, followed by (25.1 %) 40 to 49 yo, so, most of us are under risk.
This statement seems to me a little old fashioned, and depends of each one's physical condition.

I appreciate your comment on age, especially as a 58 year old active diver. However, the factors are cumulative, and the fact is that for us "older divers" (though I have a dive buddy who is 76 and still diving) awareness and attention to risk factors is even more important that to those immortal 20-somethings who sometimes get to tag along with us on dive trips. All divers need to be safe divers, which includes using quality and properly serviced equipment, planning and diving safe dive profiles, AND maintaining a state of health that is conducive to the level of exertion that is required for the kind of diving a particular diver does. The risk factors list doesn't mean people over 50 can't dive, it just means they are more susceptible to problems if they do not otherwise pay attention to their heath and fitness. The same list of risk factors applies to problems when shoveling snow, running a 10k race, or other activity. An overweight 55 year old smoker who tries to run even a 5k race will have problems finishing and living to tell about it. He will also have risk factors diving. Yet you and I have both encountered such divers, male and female, who every couple of years get out of their lounge chairs, go to a resort and remember that they are certified and decide to go diving. Sometimes they do ok, but sometimes they don't. So, show the wisdom of years by being an active diver, maintaining you health, and knowing when to dive and when not to dive. Younger divers need us older ( but not necessarily old) people to model good diving behaviors, skills, and manners. So stay active. I am figuring on another 20 years of diving at the least!
DivemasterDennis

In regards to #3, you can divide that into overweight and overweighted. However nothing tilts the odds in your favor as much as diving constantly.

Considering that a 45+ year old is statistically at greater risk while napping on a couch than a 20 year old, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we are also at greater risk while diving.

Akimbo:

Considering that a 45+ year old is statistically at greater risk while napping on a couch than a 20 year old, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we are also at greater risk while diving.

Click to expand...

You can bet that I won't be napping on my couch anymore! Thanks for the heads up!

NetDoc:

You can bet that I won't be napping on my couch anymore! Thanks for the heads up!

Click to expand...

I debated between “simply breathing” and “napping on a couch”. Good thing I chose the latter!

I started diving at age 66 and now am 72 with around 200 dives, lots of them on ships below 100 feet. I have numbers 1,4 and 5 plus Type 2 diabetes, sore feet and hemorhoids but that doesn't stop me from diving. So I wouldn't worry about it if I were you except if you are prone to heart attacks of something serious.

Sorry to join the dance late. Just wanted to bring up few points.

In regards to most divers in 40's and 50's that subject of another thread/poll. General consensus is that is when one has the economic means to buy equipment and book vacations. Kinda hard to afford an expensive sport until then, or if you are lucky enough like my 13 year old daughter Dad takes her skiing and diving!!

The recommendations from the text book are simple risk factors for heart attacks. As a statistical analysis of the population as a whole age over 45 is when one would expect to identify individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease. Being overweight and high cholesterol also increases this risk.

Smoking and asthma increase risk for pulmonary/lung complications during a dive. Smoking by risk of emphysema and barotrauma during a dive and asthma by increased likelihood attack due to dry air.

Keep in mind these are only general recommendations given for a large segment of the population. These are meant to be for screening purposes only. They are not meant to apply to a single individual, so YMMV.

I assume that the risk factor of age is based on the very real statistic that the average age of divers who suffer fatalities is greater than 45.. As someone who is well past that age myself, I would like to point out that if you really understand statistics, there is neither a surprise there nor a real source for worry.

In general, scuba diving is a pretty safe sport. If you do everything correctly, you will normally not have a problem. Pre-existing health issues are therefore a major cause of scuba fatalities. Just a week ago a very experienced diver died on scuba from a burst aneurysm. My nephew's mother-in-law died of a heart attack while diving. Both divers were well into their 50s. Tthe average age of people suffering from problems like this is likely to be pretty high. Older people dying from such causes will push the average age of fatality up quite a bit.

The important thing is that it is not the age itself that causes the problem, it is the physical health associated with age that causes the problem. DAN studies show that obesity is associated with dive fatalities to a great degree.

Let's compare this with golf. Golf is a pretty safe sport, unless you happen to be within range while I am driving. People do die on golf courses, though, usually either by being struck by lightning or by having a cardiac event of some sort. I am willing to bet that the average age of people dying while playing golf is higher than scuba. Let's say that it is 50 for argument sake. Statistically, then, being over 50 is a risk factor for playing golf. It's not something that golfers worry about, though, and it is not something I would worry about with scuba, either.

Everyone i know is at risk of dying...

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