Chronic pulmonary disease or asthma and diving

By the time COPD can be detected clinically, the person has usually deteriorated physically to the point that such individuals should be advised against diving merely on the basis of their exercise tolerance.

In contrast patients with asthma can dive, but they have to follow the recommendations included below:

• Exercise or cold induced asthmatics should not dive.

• Asthmatics requiring 'rescue or reliever' medication should not dive.

• Asthmatics on chronic maintenance bronchodilation ('controller') and inhaled steroids are thought to be able to dive.

• Asthmatics should not dive if he/she has needed a therapeutic bronchodilator in the last 48 hours or has had any other chest symptoms. They feel that the asthmatic should not need more than occasional bronchodilators, i.e. daily usage would be a disqualifying factor.

• Mild to moderate asthmatics with normal screening spirometry can be considered candidates for diving. (FEV1/FVC ratio above 85% of predicted)

• If an asthmatic has an attack, screening spirometry should be done and the individual should not dive until his airway function returns to normal