AD 2018 Q1

Diving
with
Diabetes
GUIDELINES AND THE LATEST RESEARCH
BY CRISTIAN PELLEGRINI
Diabetes is a disease that affects the
endocrine system — the collection
of glands that produce hormones,
which regulate metabolism,
growth and development,
tissue function, sexual function,
reproduction, sleep, mood and more. In the past the
medical community advised against diving for people
with diabetes, but today many diabetics are able to
dive successfully and safely.
The main hazard of diabetes is its effect on the
pancreas, the organ that produces insulin and
glucagon, which are the hormones that balance
and maintain your blood glucose (blood sugar).
Approximately 415 million people worldwide suffer
from diabetes, and by 2040 the number is estimated to
rise to around 642 million.
Having diabetes means either your pancreas does
not produce enough insulin or the cells of the body do
not respond properly to the insulin produced. With
type 1 diabetes, the pancreas fails to produce enough
insulin, which leads to insulin dependency (the need
for insulin injections). The cause of type 1 diabetes is
currently unknown. Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin
resistance, a condition in which cells fail to properly
respond to insulin. This can also lead to insufficient
insulin production. People can control type 2 diabetes
by maintaining a
healthy diet and taking
oral medication. The
most common causes
of type 2 diabetes are
an unhealthy lifestyle,
excessive body weight
and lack of exercise.
Diabetes involves too much glucose
in the blood, which can lead to a
variety of problematic and debilitating
symptoms. In type 1 diabetes, the
body’s immune system attacks the
cells of the pancreas (the large organ
shown in pink) that produce the
hormone insulin. Diminished insulin
production leads to the buildup of
glucose in the blood.
Medical experts historically advised against diving
for people with diabetes because diabetics can
experience potentially life-threatening conditions
when suffering from high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Insulin (like physical exercise) lowers your
blood sugar, and glucagon (along with foods that
contain glucose) raises your blood sugar. People
with diabetes may often experience overly high and
low blood sugar levels, which puts them at a much
higher risk of suffering an accident underwater.
Developing hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia while
underwater may lead to loss of consciousness and
even death, especially when the illness is unstable or
newly discovered.
Common risks, symptoms and effects of high and
low blood sugar include the following:
hyperglycemia (high blood sugar): extreme thirst,
frequent urination, dry skin, hunger, blurred vision,
nausea, drowsiness, slow-healing wounds and vomiting
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): trembling, fast
heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, anxiousness, paleness,
hunger, weakness/fatigue, headache and fainting
When people with diabetes experience any sign of such
symptoms, they should immediately check their blood
sugar using a blood glucose monitoring device. If blood
glucose is low, they should eat or drink something with
sugar or take glucose tablets; if blood glucose is high,
they should take the appropriate medicine.
Symptoms and precautions are difficult, if not
impossible, to identify and manage underwater. Due
to the scope of potential problems diabetes can cause,
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