diving with high BP

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gaudencio

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Messages
295
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Location
manila
# of dives
500 - 999
hi, I would like to know if a person can dive again while under medication for hyper tension.I am currently taking 5mg vidastat but have normal bp of 125/86. I am a sports buff, I am into biking, bodybuilding, swimming. But the problem is that I failed to check my cholesterol intake and I usually eat out . This caused my cholesterol to go up to 250. ( the last time I checked). Last year I did a dive and choked under water after coughing. I can't inhale air. I thought my reg was having problems but it was not so, I ascended to 10 ft. from 60 ft. without inhaling air, I was about to passed out when I was around 10 ft. when I was able to inhale air once again. Could this be because of high BP?
I really liked to dive again, can any one give me any advice?:no:
 
I believe that if your BP is managed (i.e., normal if you are on medication) and you have no other symptoms (e.g., dizziness) and no other medical problems you should be fine to dive. I am not a physician but I don't see the link between managed hypertension (high BP controlled to normal by meds) and coughing.
 
If I am reading your post correctly, you are taking simvastatin (Vidastat) for high cholesterol. This has nothing to do with your blood pressure, and "hypertension" means high blood pressure.

Statin medications can have side effects, with a common one being muscle pain, but they do not cause choking or panic. Your diving problem sounds to me like some laryngospasm due to water in the back of your throat. This is not an uncommon phenomenon (my dear friend NW Grateful Diver had a horrible experience with laryngospasm while cave diving, and thought he might die there) but has nothing to do with your medication.
 
If I am reading your post correctly, you are taking simvastatin (Vidastat) for high cholesterol. This has nothing to do with your blood pressure, and "hypertension" means high blood pressure.

Statin medications can have side effects, with a common one being muscle pain, but they do not cause choking or panic. Your diving problem sounds to me like some laryngospasm due to water in the back of your throat. This is not an uncommon phenomenon (my dear friend NW Grateful Diver had a horrible experience with laryngospasm while cave diving, and thought he might die there) but has nothing to do with your medication.

hi,
Very sorry, the medicine i'm taking is vasalat 5mg.
 
Vasalat is amlodipine, which is a calcium channel blocker. Again, this medication should neither predispose you to panic, nor make you more likely to cough. There IS a class of antihypertensive medications which has cough as a side effect, but that's not what you are taking.
 
thanks to all who responded, may be diving this weekend, shallow dive only 50-60 ft.
 
The blood pressure should be stable for 3-6 months on the same medication before diving
 

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