Subscribe to The NZUA And Support the Underwater Community

Packed with the latest diving news, events and deals, the NZUA newsletter is a monthly must-read for all those passionate about the New Zealand underwater realm.
Subscribers directly support NZ Underwater's activities in the marine environment, help leverage govt. funding for safety campaigning and grow participation across the sector.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Diving over 40? Why a medical check-up might save your life.

Nov 6, 2020
Safety
Diving over 40? Why a medical check-up might save your life.

New Zealand Underwater interviews Dr Chris Sames, Clinical Director of the Slark Hyperbaric unit in Auckland, to better understand why a medical check-up could be smartest pre-dive check in the list.

New Zealand Underwater interviews Dr Chris Sames, Clinical Director of the Slark Hyperbaric unit in Auckland, to better understand why a medical check-up could be smartest pre-dive check in the list.

WATER SAFETY NZ DATA COLLATED SINCE 2011 CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES 60% OF ALL FATALITIES IN DIVERS, SPEARFISHERMEN, AND SNORKELERS OCCUR IN THE OVER 40 AGE BRACKET. POOR HEART HEALTH AND INADEQUATE GENERAL FITNESS ARE KNOWN TO BE SIGNIFICANT CAUSES OF THESE DIVER DEATHS.

For leading diving promotion and advocacy body, New Zealand Underwater, this concerning trend motivated the organisation to act more appropriately in addressing issues.

With the resulting Summertime ad campaign winding up, New Zealand Underwater requested time to explore the issue further with a leading diving medical professional, Dr Chris Sames, Clinical Director at the Slark Hyperbaric Unit in Auckland.

Increased risk with age

Dr Sames recognises age as an important factor when considering risk while diving.

“Increasing age is a known risk factor in terms of a person’s ability to cope with an increased physical stress load,” offers Dr Sames. “It is still predominantly a male preoccupation or pastime, and males in the 40-70 year age group are at higher risk of coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.”

The Diver’s Alert Network (DAN) agrees - “Your heart’s capacity to support an elevated blood output decreases with age and with disease. Having a healthy heart is of the utmost importance to your safety while SCUBA diving…” (DAN website) https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/health/heart/how-diving-affects-health

Check your prescription is suitable for diving

Dr Sames recommends recreational divers over 40 have a regular check-up with their doctor at least every five years. It’s also vitally important to communicate your intention to dive. This ensures the doctor is given the opportunity to access and provide you with all the necessary information to make an informed decision should potential issues be apparent.

It’s about managing your risk. For example, some medications could put your heart under undue stress while diving.

“Some medications such as beta blockers or anti-arrhythmics can increase your cardiac risk while diving, so anyone on such medication, or with a known heart condition, should consult their doctor to discuss the risks,” reinforces Dr Sames.

“There would be a lot of people who have high blood pressure but continue diving, and for the majority there’s no reason they shouldn’t. We are all prepared to accept different levels of risk, so a discussion about that risk is worthwhile.”

“Some risks can be managed,” says Dr Sames. “Informing the medical professional allows the opportunity for the prescription of a medication less likely to restrict the heart.”

Both New Zealand Underwater and Dr Sames would like to remind readers to not take a clear physical examination as a ticket to ignore all the other rules of safe diving. Decompression sickness is an issue for all divers breathing compressed air while buddy diving saves lives no matter if its SCUBA, spearfishing, free-diving or snorkel for food that’s your activity of preference.

For more extensive recommendations on best diving practice visit: https://www.nzunderwater.org.nz/safety-training

Get fit, dive safer

The human body undergoes changes when we dive, as explained by Allison Guy in an article on Azula.com. https://www.azula.com/happens-body-freedive-2476355243.html The heart rate slows to conserve oxygen and the lungs compress under the increased pressure. Even experienced divers rarely need to dive below 40 metres. Older divers are well advised to be equally conservative.

Improving general fitness – particularly heart health with a committed cardiovascular workout programme – will improve the ability of your body to cope with the changes to the body during a dive, and help you dive more and for many more years.

The same applies to spearfishermen and snorkellers. Both sports can involve considerable exertion in an environment where even a minor medical event can have fatal consequences.

“If you’re fit, you’re less likely to get into trouble,” says Dr Sames. “Diving is often quite a strenuous thing, and physical exhaustion could spell your doom. That alone is a reason to stay physically fit.”

Last word

The New Zealand Underwater Association (NZUA) is running a ‘Get Tested – Fit to Dive’ campaign to promote routine health checks, heart health, and general fitness for divers to make divers aware of their risks and to lower the diver fatality statistics for avoidable deaths in over-40 divers.

“Being uninformed of the medical risks of diving when older or unfit endangers both you and your diving buddy,” says NZUA spokesperson, Jeff Strang. “A medical assessment with a treatment plan that allows for diving is the best course of action for yourself, your friends and your family.”

Snorkelling, freediving, spearfishing and SCUBA diving are rewarding activities in a whole new world of adventure. With divers taking responsibility for their own health, educating and encouraging friends and family to do the same, they can minimise the risks and prevent needless diving deaths in New Zealand.

FOOTNOTE: Divers returning to the sport are encouraged to attend a refresher course, to bring them up to speed before diving again. The two primary facilitators of these courses in New Zealand are:

A list of diving doctors can be found at: https://worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/occupational-diving/designated-diving-doctors/

Related posts

Back to Diving Checklist
Safety

Back to Diving Checklist

Has it been a while since you've had a chance to get underwater? Use this checklist before you get in the water to help keep you safe.
FIT, CHECK & SIGNAL
Safety

FIT, CHECK & SIGNAL

Are you the best diver you could be? Qualified – Yes! Experienced – Yes! But are you Fit, do you Check, and do you always Signal? NZ Underwater’s 2019 signature message to divers applies to even the best of the best, and here’s why…
Alcohol vs Boating: Not Worth the Risk
Safety

Alcohol vs Boating: Not Worth the Risk

Taking some beersies out on the boat is a fondly held kiwi pastime. It's hard to think of a fishing trip without a box or two, but the numbers are in and there's no disputing it: boats and alcohol don't mix.
Diver accident at shallow depths acts as a cautionary tale for everyone
Safety

Diver accident at shallow depths acts as a cautionary tale for everyone

Diving should always be done with caution, even when using fool-proof equipment as one diver recently found out.
To pee or not to pee?
Safety

To pee or not to pee?

Why is it we feel the need to go to the bathroom when underwater?
Dive Flag Campaign Update - April-18
Safety

Dive Flag Campaign Update - April-18

New Zealand Underwater ‘Diver Down Awareness’ campaigns, which include this summer’s ‘Fly the Flag’ initiative, have been run almost continuously since the intensive 5-week program began in October 2015.
All Related

See Also

newsletter
News

Dive Pacific to launch progressive, community-first digital platform

The New Zealand Underwater Association is pleased to announce an expansion of its Dive Pacific digital offering.
newsletter
Environment

Restrictions to stop spread of non-native Caulerpa brachypus seaweed at Aotea Great Barrier Island

Important notice to divers: There are restrictions on some water activities in parts of Great Barrier Island to prevent the spread of an invasive non-native seaweed that’s been found there.
newsletter
Events

68th Annual General Meeting 2021

On the 3rd of July 2021, the NZUA hosts its 68 Annual General Meeeting
newsletter
News

Season’s greetings from the NZUA

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from NZUA
newsletter
Survive the Dive

Survive the Dive certification launched

Survive the Dive online training and certificate platform launched for all New Zealand divers.
newsletter
News

Enjoy Dive Pacific magazine – on us!

NZUA's gift to you: the Dec/Jan issue of Dive Pacific magazine
All Posts

Recent

Survive the Dive certification launched
Enjoy Dive Pacific magazine – on us!
Taupo Catfish Cull at Waitangi Weekend – save the date
Back to Diving Checklist