[Asthma and diving].

Abstract

Until recently asthma was considered a contraindication for scuba diving due to possible "air trapping" and subsequent barotrauma. However, in view of the wide prevalence and heterogeneity of the illness this is no longer justified. There are, nevertheless, certain prerequisites for diving with asthma: a complete anamnesis and an analysis of the pulmonary function, an exact diagnosis of the trigger factors as well as of the bronchial hyperreactivity in order to correctly ascertain the asthma level. When scuba diving, asthmatics need to observe certain rules. Still, some types of asthma remain incompatible with diving. Among these are the pseudo-allergic, exercise-induced, and psychogenic-induced asthma as well as allergic bronchopulmonal aspergillosis. Asthma due to bronchial infections and GERD are considered relative contraindications.