[Diving fitness for scuba divers--what the primary care physician should know].

The diving fitness medical examination serves to show and reveal medical conditions that are a contraindication for diving or to evaluate the risk of preexisting conditions. For this reason, it should never have the character of a certification given as a matter of courtesy. Fitness to dive is given if the candidate is healthy and when there are no pathological findings. Even with deviations from the norm, diving is still possible, but with restrictions. Important organ systems for the diving fitness examination are the cardiovascular system, the respiratory organs and the ears. In addition, adequate eyesight is important. The German Society of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine (GTOUM) has drawn up recommendations on the examination of scuba divers to assist the physician (www.gtuem.org).