Diving over 40?

Water Safety NZ data collated since 2011 clearly demonstrates in divers, spearfishermen, and snorkelers over the age of 40, that 66% of all diving related drownings are in that age bracket.

A figure likely disproportionate to participation rate of this older age bracket. Poor heart health and inadequate general fitness is considered a primary cause of death.

For leading diving promotion and advocation body, New Zealand Underwater, a recent spike in diving fatalities motivated the organisation to revisit its view of incident causes in order to more appropriately take action to address issues.  
Water Safety NZ data collated since 2011 clearly demonstrates in divers, spearfishermen, and snorkelers over the age of 40, that 66% of all diving related drownings are in that age bracket, a figure likely disproportionate to participation rate of this older age bracket. Poor heart health and inadequate general fitness is considered a primary cause of death.

Increased risk with age

Dr Chris Sames, Clinical Director at the Slark Hyperbaric Unit in Auckland, recognises age as a 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 over 40 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 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.

“If you’re taking medication for an arrhythmia of the heart, then you shouldn’t really be diving, and beta blockers, sometimes used to treat high blood pressure, are specifically not advisable to dive with," reinforces Dr Sames.

“There would are a lot of people who have high blood pressure and continue diving, and for the majority there’s no reason they shouldn’t. Each diver must decide what level of risk he/she is prepared to accept taking into account others who may also be affected.

“However, known risks should be minimised where possible,” say’s Dr Sames. “So informing the doctor allows the opportunity for the prescription of a medication less likely to restrict the heart.”

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
Our heart rate slows to conserve oxygen and our 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 cardio-vascular 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 strenuous, and physical exhaustion could spell your doom. That
alone is a reason to stay physically fit.”

The New Zealand Underwater Association (NZUA) are 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. “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:SSI: https://www.divessi.com/en/myssi/contact/
PADI: https://www.padi.com/

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