SCUBA Diving in Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Publication date
2023-01
Authors
Kauling, Robert M.
Rienks, R
Cuypers, Judith A.A.E.
Jorstad, Harald T.
Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W.
Editors
Advisors
Supervisors
Document Type
Article
Metadata
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cc_by
Abstract
Conventionally, scuba diving has been discouraged for adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD). This restrictive sports advice is based on expert opinion in the absence of high-quality diving-specific studies. However, as survival and quality of life in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients have dramatically improved in the last decades, a critical appraisal whether such restrictive sports advice is still applicable is warranted. In this review, the cardiovascular effects of diving are described and a framework for the work-up for ACHD patients wishing to engage in scuba diving is provided. In addition, diving recommendations for specific CHD diagnostic groups are proposed.
Keywords
congenital heart disease, fitness to dive, scuba diving, General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology (medical)
Citation
Kauling, R M, Rienks, R, Cuypers, J A A E, Jorstad, H T & Roos-Hesselink, J W 2023, 'SCUBA Diving in Adult Congenital Heart Disease', Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, vol. 10, no. 1, 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd10010020