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StatPearls, LLC

  • Decompression
  • Decompression Sickness
  • Oxygen

Diving at Altitude

Recreational scuba diving is a popular sport, with 2.6 million active divers in the U.S. and approximately 6 million worldwide in 2025. The prevalence of diving-related injuries and illnesses corresponds to this participation. Diving at altitude introduces additional risk by exposing divers to lower ambient pressure than at sea level, the reference point for standard decompression tables. Upon surfacing, the reduced atmospheric pressure increases decompression stress, promoting intravascular and extravascular bubble formation. Contributing factors include dive depth, duration, ascent rate, and altitude of the dive site. Individual susceptibility and repetitive diving further modify risk. Clinical manifestations may range from mild decompression sickness, including joint and cutaneous symptoms, to severe neurological or cardiopulmonary events. Management emphasizes prompt recognition, oxygen administration, and, when indicated, hyperbaric therapy. Preventive strategies focus on dive planning using altitude-adjusted decompression tables or algorithms, staged ascents, and conservative dive profiles. This activity for healthcare professionals is designed to improve learners’ competence in evaluating risk factors for decompression-related injuries and managing altitude-associated decompression stress in divers. Participants will advance their mastery of safe dive planning, risk assessment, and best practices in preventing decompression-related complications arising from altitude diving. Enhanced skills will prepare clinicians to collaborate with interprofessional teams caring for individuals at risk of developing altitude-associated diving complications.

Credit & MOC Details

Credit information is provided by the course provider. We recommend confirming credit eligibility with the provider or your licensing board before starting the activity.

Credit types

AAPA Category 1 Credit™Up to 1 creditAMA PRA Category 1 Credit™Up to 1 creditNursingUp to 1 creditPharmacyUp to 1 credit

MOC types

ABS — Accredited CMEUp to 1 pointABPM — Accredited CMEUp to 1 pointABPATH — Lifelong LearningUp to 1 pointABTS — Accredited CMEUp to 1 pointABIM — Medical KnowledgeUp to 1 pointABS — Self-AssessmentUp to 1 pointABP — Lifelong Learning and Self-AssessmentUp to 1 pointABPM — Self-AssessmentUp to 1 pointABTS — Self-AssessmentUp to 1 point

FDA REMS

No

Qualifies for MIPS

No

Target Specialties

Cross-Specialty

Relevant across 6 specialties.

Pricing

Fee varies

This provider typically $49–98

See fees on statpearls.com

Listed by the provider

  • Article / monograph / reference
  • Credit · Up to 1 credit
  • MOC · Up to 1 point
  • Fee varies · this provider typically $49–98
  • Released
    Sep 1, 2026
  • Last day to claim credit
    Sep 1, 2029 3 years left

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