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Nicotine Replacement and Diving As yet there has been no study of nicotine replacement (e.g., Nicorette gum, NicoDerm CQ patch) and diving. The side effects of nicotine replacement usually are mild to nonexistent at recommended doses. Symptoms like racing heart, and abdominal pain/nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, visual/hearing abnormality, headache, flushing and confusion can occur in very sensitive individuals or in those who are getting too much nicotine. Obviously, smoking while on nicotine replacement or using more than one replacement system at a time is not a wise idea as symptoms such as these could have implications for safe scuba. For example, racing heart could contribute to diver panic or visual/hearing abnormalities, headache and confusion could be incorrectly attributed to the drug when they are actually caused by DCI, or vice versa. Since the medication is absorbed as a chemical and not as a gas, this removes one source of concern about changes in drug activity associated with depth. Moreover, patch systems are designed to function normally while wet, although they may fall off and need to be replaced. With very deep scuba on air or with nitrox diving, nicotine replacement raises the theoretical concern of increased oxygen toxicity risk due to the stimulant effects of the drug. While this very likely is an insignificant risk at best, at the least nicotine replacement would not appear to pose any greater risk than would the regular use of cigarettes during a dive trip. Whatever medications are taken by the diver, it is strongly recommended that they be given an adequate topside trail to observe for worrisome side effects and used only according to directions. This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such. ©
Doc Vikingo 2005 Back
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