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SPRING 2012
T
he aging of the dive population and an increased
rate of cardiac-related deaths with age in scuba
divers are becoming important concerns to the
dive community. In a favorable environment, scuba
diving is a leisurely physical activity that many people choose
for their lifetime or late-life recreation. Age is not considered a
disease or a condition that necessarily disqualifies people from
diving or any other physical activities, but it is associated with a
decrease in functional capacity and an increased prevalence of
chronic diseases. Criteria for medical fitness to dive have been
defined and used with confidence for more than half a century.
When it comes to physical fitness requirements for scuba
diving, however, there is no consensus; divers are generally
advised to evaluate the diving environment before each dive
and avoid strenuous conditions that may exceed their physical
capabilities. This approach seems to work for most divers except
those who become victims of dive fatalities. Older divers are at
greater risk of fatal accidents, and the most common cause of
deaths in older divers is an acute cardiac event, which can be
considered a sudden death. In this article we will briefly review
the epidemiology of sudden cardiac death, age-related changes
to the cardiovascular system, specific stressors in diving, the
By Petar DenoBle, M.D., D.Sc.
Aging, Wellness and Fitness to Dive
S T E PH E N F R I N K