Ventolin and diving

🔹 What Ventolin is

Ventolin is a bronchodilator (reliever inhaler) used in asthma and other breathing conditions.
It works quickly to open the airways and relieve bronchospasm.

Asthma itself, not the inhaler
- The biggest issue is air trapping: if a diver has narrowed airways or mucus plugs, expanding gas can get trapped during ascent → risk of pulmonary barotrauma or arterial gas embolism.
- Cold water, exercise, or stress can trigger bronchospasm in asthmatics underwater.
Ventolin use before diving
- Using Ventolin before a dive (as a preventive puff) is sometimes recommended by diving doctors if the diver is otherwise stable and well-controlled.
- But if you need it frequently or urgently, that’s a red flag → diving may not be safe.
Side effects
- Salbutamol can cause tremors, palpitations, increased heart rate, but usually mild and short-lived.
- These aren’t usually dangerous for healthy divers, but worth monitoring.

Asthma is not an automatic ban anymore, but divers must be carefully screened.
DAN suggests:
- You should be free of symptoms (no wheezing, no coughing, no exercise-induced bronchospasm).
- Lung function tests (spirometry) should be normal, including after exercise.
- You should not be relying on Ventolin daily just to be able to dive.
- Using a preventive puff before diving can be acceptable, if your doctor and dive physician clear you.

If you only use Ventolin occasionally (e.g. before exercise, or rarely), and your asthma is stable and controlled → many diving doctors consider diving safe after clearance.
If you need it often, or have uncontrolled asthma symptoms → diving is not recommended (too much risk of barotrauma).
Always discuss with a dive medicine specialist and get a fitness-to-dive clearance.

always get a doctor approval before use any medicine for scuba diving