Cardiac Discussion split from Diver missing from Vandenberg Wreck in Key West

[TravelGas]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This thread is split from the discussion of cardiac events while diving from the A&I thread "Diver missing from Vandenberg Wreck in Key West

From the reading I have been doing, it seems that divers in their 50s or older a Cardiac related event while diving is at the top of the list for causes of death. Perhaps, those people never should have been diving in the first place.
With all the Technology of today and the internet, I am surprised that there is no place on the internet that is tracking over the long term how many deaths / causes on each wreck. There are lessons that can be learned from tragedy.
Andrea Doria 16
U-Who / 869 3
U.S.S. San Diego has also had a significant #

I don't know about any of the Florida wrecks.

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[Jake 10]

From the reading I have been doing, it seems that divers in their 50s or older a Cardiac related event while diving is at the top of the list for causes of death. Perhaps, those people never should have been diving in the first place.
With all the Technology of today and the internet,

Excuse me. Most of the instructors I know, and myself, are over 50's. We all do yearly doctor check-up and keep up with fitness. Many of instructors have over 1000's dives. Bottom line, is not age but more as diving within your limits.

 

[TravelGas]

I would expect DI to take better care of themselves and be more aware, since they are professionals and the lives of their students could depend on them. I made no comment about DI. DAN statistics do not differentiate between Instrs and divers, most of the deaths also occurred at depths less than 100'.
I don't disagree that diving beyond ability, cert', recent experience likely are also factors, the death reports get into that, but their annual stats don't.
Heart disease in the avg. American starts at age 19. Not that it matters, I am well into my 50s and would not be immune to a cardiac event.

 

[isdjww]

From the reading I have been doing, it seems that divers in their 50s or older a Cardiac related event while diving is at the top of the list for causes of death. Perhaps, those people never should have been diving in the first place...

My father-in-law knew that he had heart related issues with the men in his family, so he constantly was getting checkups and stress tests. Two days after a stress test, where the doctors gave him a clean bill of health, he had a heart attack. Luckily he was close to town. He ended up with a double bypass.

He still goes to doctors, but this experience has thrown shade on their capabilities. After all, doctors are just practicing medicine.

 

[wgw04024]

As far as heart disease goes, there are and continue to be countless people who get full physicals, blood work, stress tests, clean bill of health, and the next day drop dead from a heart attack/stroke. It's far from an exact science. Now add the covid vaccinations as another possible contributing factor, and maybe that is creating a slight rise in deaths.

 

[TravelGas]

True that. It is also true lots of people do not take care of themselves and have a known Cardiac history as well as a myriad of other Health related issues and are on related Cardiac meds and engage in an activity they should not be. Could this be why a 2 page physical must be recently completed by a Doctor in order to take TDI Tech diving classes.

 

[Jay straith]

Online. They go back quite a few years. There’s an interesting comparison here. I’m not sure which is modelled on which but because of some of my activities earlier in life involving mountaineering I also regularly read “Accidents in North America Mountaineering” Which is a joint publication of the American and Canadian Alpine Clubs. An interesting analysis of how **** happens And worth while cautionary tales.

Jay, interesting post. How can I access the DAN reports on Diver fatalities ?

nline.

 

[Jay straith]

True that. It is also true lots of people do not take care of themselves and have a known Cardiac history as well as a myriad of other Health related issues and are on related Cardiac meds and engage in an activity they should not be. Could this be why a 2 page physical must be recently completed by a Doctor in order to take TDI Tech diving classes.

I agree. The is nothing you can do to avoid people who have no business diving the ships from doing so When your focus is on preparation of the ship. I think it was Ick Long of DUI who once said “ there are divers and people who dive and 80% of the problem is with the people who dive rather than divers”. If you read these reports, you see that that is very true. If you read another online source a“ Accidents in North American mountaineering” you will also see that much of the same is true in mountaineering.

 

[Jay straith]

This is complete speculation on my part, but I have to wonder if the divers who venture over 100 feet deep in frigid Canadian waters have a little more training, more gear and take "the dive" a little more serious than tourists in 84 degree water wearing bathing suits.

That’s probably true to a great extent. Diving in 48°F. Water is not for the faint of heart, However, no, I don’t have any hard evidence to back it up. I get the general impression is that the diving population in Europe and Australia/New Zealand Is someone similar to the diving population in the US?
When you go through all these reports, there is a truism that jumps out: there are divers, and there are people who dive, and most of the problems are with the people who dive Because they don’t dive enough and they try to do things that they’re not trained for

 

[Hiszpan]

My father-in-law knew that he had heart related issues with the men in his family, so he constantly was getting checkups and stress tests. Two days after a stress test, where the doctors gave him a clean bill of health, he had a heart attack. Luckily he was close to town. He ended up with a double bypass.

He still goes to doctors, but this experience has thrown shade on their capabilities. After all, doctors are just practicing medicine.

Clean bill does not equal that all your arteries and veins are plaque=free - nobody can check that unless we invent nanobots circulating in our systems and taking pictures. I think people misinterpret what does a health check up mean.