Diving and cardiovascular disease

[jawdoc]

I am a 48 year old male. Recently had angioplasty and placement of 2 stents following an episode of chest pain while at rest.
The cardiologist I am now seeing feels that scuba is absolutley out of the question regardless of performance on a stress test due to the effects of pressure at depth on the circulation to the heart being unknown.
Does anyone know what the standard reference texts on dive medicine say in this regard? My feeling is long as I have no symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain with exertion and limit my depth and bottom time to decrease the increased risk of DCS with possible impaired circulation I should be "fine" (given the inherent risks of the sport).

Do any of the acknowledged texts on dive medicine indicate that scuba is absolutley contraindicated in an individual with coronary artery disease?
Anyone out there know anything regarding this?

 

[SharkRider]

Well, since heart failure (attack, infarction or whatever else you want to call it) is most often the cause of death while scuba diving... it would not make sense to me for anyone with a known heart condition to be diving.

While drowning is often ruled the cause of death... most often the person drowns due to having a preceding event such as a heart attack, embolism, toxicity etc...) Scuba is an intensive sport that requires one to be in excellent physical condition, especially when diving the open ocean.

While some may say you could do "casual" diving such as in a calm flat lake or pond on a clear day, I don't know of anyone that will tell you to risk diving the open ocean with a heart condition.

 

[ronbeau]

I am a 48 year old male. Recently had angioplasty and placement of 2 stints following an episode of chest pain while at rest.
The cardiologist I am now seeing feels that scuba is absolutely out of the question regardless of performance on a stress test due to the effects of pressure at depth on the circulation to the heart being unknown.
Does anyone know what the standard reference texts on dive medicine say in this regard? My feeling is long as I have no symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain with exertion and limit my depth and bottom time to decrease the increased risk of DCS with possible impaired circulation I should be "fine" (given the inherent risks of the sport).

Do any of the acknowledged texts on dive medicine indicate that scuba is absolutely contraindicated in an individual with coronary artery disease?
Anyone out there know anything regarding this?

Your best bet would to to call DAN (Divers Alert Network). They area non-profit organization specializing in hyperbaric (diving) medicine. They can either refer you to a suitable physician or assist your physician in making a recommendation.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/

 

[Web Monkey]

Call DAN. Most non-diving MDs just have a knee-jerk reaction and say "No"

Terry

I am a 48 year old male. Recently had angioplasty and placement of 2 stents following an episode of chest pain while at rest.
The cardiologist I am now seeing feels that scuba is absolutley out of the question regardless of performance on a stress test due to the effects of pressure at depth on the circulation to the heart being unknown.
Does anyone know what the standard reference texts on dive medicine say in this regard? My feeling is long as I have no symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain with exertion and limit my depth and bottom time to decrease the increased risk of DCS with possible impaired circulation I should be "fine" (given the inherent risks of the sport).

Do any of the acknowledged texts on dive medicine indicate that scuba is absolutley contraindicated in an individual with coronary artery disease?
Anyone out there know anything regarding this?