Asthmatic + Diving = Death?

[TSandM]

As long as the air intake on the compressor isn't connected to a room full of pollen encrusted cats I'm good to go.

Too funny!

 

[xjeslesx]

Trooper

It really depends on how your asthma is and what triggers it. I personally have asthma and take medicine daily. Mine is triggered by pollen, animals, and activity. The important thing is that I never have asthma (attacks), it may be harder to breath and I may weeze but I am never without air. If you have attacks that leave you without the ability to breath I don't think that I would chance diving. If you have asthma similar to mine it may be worth it. Either way you will have to sign a medical clearance form that says you do not have asthma, or get a doctors clearance.

 

[drbill]

As others have pointed out, asthma may be triggered by a number of different factors. My son has asthma and I never thought he'd be able to dive. However, his doctor determined it was not exercise induced and I got a new dive buddy... until he moved to Colorado!

 

[Thorndowyn]

Well, in addition to the reasons mentioned above, air might become trapped in the lung-bubbles. When ascending, the air expands. If it has nowhere to go it might cause major lung damage.

It all depends on your asthma trigger.

 

[Skydiver1]

Well, in addition to the reasons mentioned above, air might become trapped in the lung-bubbles. When ascending, the air expands. If it has nowhere to go it might cause major lung damage.

It all depends on your asthma trigger.

What about just loading up on long acting beta agonist before hand, and steroid inhaler to keep the airways open. That should keep the airways open for a good few hours anyway.

The problem I envisage with getting signed off by a doctor, at least where I live, is that most of them would be too scared of possible future litigation. They have nothing to gain by signing you off, and in my opinion would be much more inclined to play it safe by contraindicating any diving.

Also do these sign-offs by doctors have a time limit on them? Just wondering as obviously any condition has potential to deteriorate further.

 

[stakanak]

The conference proceedings are published in a book titled "Are Asthmatics Fit To Dive?" and it can be purchased from the UHMS or by calling (301) 942-2980. In a nutshell, our previous attitudes regarding Asthma were based on a theoretical risk to the diver which was overwhelmingly negative. Now that accident reporting and data collection have improved worldwide, no greater incidence in pulmonary barotrauma has been found. This fact has put additional pressure on the American diving medical community to justify its position (prohibition of diving) with data. There isn't any. This happened to correspond with the timing of an article by Tom Neuman, MD and Fred Bove, MD on asthma (Annals of Allergy 1994;73-Oct:. 344-350). The article concludes that "...available data suggest asthmatic patients with normal airway function at rest, and with little airway reactivity in response to exercise or cold air inhalation, have a risk of pulmonary barotrauma similar to that of normal subjects."

This all makes sense to me. I repeat, there is no evidence that asthmatics are at a higher risk of pulmonary barotrauma.
Does anyone have conclusive info on this subject? I would really like to know as I am an allergy induced asthmatic diver.
Get Wet!

 

[Skydiver1]

The conference proceedings are published in a book titled "Are Asthmatics Fit To Dive?" and it can be purchased from the UHMS or by calling (301) 942-2980 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (301) 942-2980      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. In a nutshell, our previous attitudes regarding Asthma were based on a theoretical risk to the diver which was overwhelmingly negative. Now that accident reporting and data collection have improved worldwide, no greater incidence in pulmonary barotrauma has been found. This fact has put additional pressure on the American diving medical community to justify its position (prohibition of diving) with data. There isn't any. This happened to correspond with the timing of an article by Tom Neuman, MD and Fred Bove, MD on asthma (Annals of Allergy 1994;73-Oct:. 344-350). The article concludes that "...available data suggest asthmatic patients with normal airway function at rest, and with little airway reactivity in response to exercise or cold air inhalation, have a risk of pulmonary barotrauma similar to that of normal subjects."

This all makes sense to me. I repeat, there is no evidence that asthmatics are at a higher risk of pulmonary barotrauma.
Does anyone have conclusive info on this subject? I would really like to know as I am an allergy induced asthmatic diver.
Get Wet!

Very interesting. So all this talk and concern of gas getting trapped in inflammed alveoli is just purely theoretical, with no evidence whatsoever ?!

 

[AceszHigh]

I didn't really read this thread but I'll contribute my personal experience...I have asthma. It was severe when I was young but has been under control for the past 10+ years. I take a puff of advair morning and night and basically forget about it the rest of the day, it's not exercise or cold-induced. I was concerned about it with diving at first too..but I have now been diving a year and half with well over 100 dives (as deep as 105ft) and never an issue. I have a desire to get into tech diving, but the asthma does make me more hesitant to do it.

 

[TSandM]

"...available data suggest asthmatic patients with normal airway function at rest, and with little airway reactivity in response to exercise or cold air inhalation, have a risk of pulmonary barotrauma similar to that of normal subjects."

Please note that this is a description of someone with mild asthma. Someone who is symptomatic on a daily basis will NOT have "normal airway function at rest".

I think a lot of people carrying the diagnosis of asthma are perfectly safe to dive. I do think that some of the people coming on here and writing, "I have asthma and I wheeze every day and have to use meds and nothing bad has happened to me diving" are really not doing anyone any favors. Moderate to severe asthma still involves air-trapping and still presents a risk of pulmonary barotrauma.

It is true that many physicians are loathe to approve anyone for diving if there is any conceivable medical risk -- our litigation rich society has caused this. I don't know what the solution is, except to find a diving-savvy physician who can honestly do a risk assessment with you.

 

[Skydiver1]

Please note that this is a description of someone with mild asthma. Someone who is symptomatic on a daily basis will NOT have "normal airway function at rest".

I think a lot of people carrying the diagnosis of asthma are perfectly safe to dive. I do think that some of the people coming on here and writing, "I have asthma and I wheeze every day and have to use meds and nothing bad has happened to me diving" are really not doing anyone any favors. Moderate to severe asthma still involves air-trapping and still presents a risk of pulmonary barotrauma.

It is true that many physicians are loathe to approve anyone for diving if there is any conceivable medical risk -- our litigation rich society has caused this. I don't know what the solution is, except to find a diving-savvy physician who can honestly do a risk assessment with you.

My solution, and I am in no way advocating this, has been to blatantly lie on diving legal waiver forms about previous history of breathing difficulty. Obviously, were anything to happen, I have signed away all recourse.

The sport is quite young and studies and data relating to asthma are not very common. Also studies into various ailments are usually economically motivated by drug companies - I cant really see what monetary incentive there would be into carrying out studies on divers with asthma or other respiratory illnesses.

So for the moment, I am a closet asthmatic puffing on my inhalers in the car on the way to the dive site.