Diving with stent in the heart?

[miserkris]

Hey all.. I'm 49yo.... I had 60 dives before my heart attack last year. Now I'm a heart attack survivor with a stent. That was more than a year ago. I'm stable now. Echo, ekg normal.... Cardiologist plainly said we don't advise scuba for heart health...but that's in combination of bends risk. But what if I dive shallow and skip the deep dives?....
Any place I can just dive shallow like 30 feet along with people with similar problems or seniors? Are there special OPs that did such dives?

BTW I'm going to hawaii, Oahu in Dec... Might dive. Snorkelling for sure!

Pls advice thx

 

[Altamira]

I would follow your cardiologist's advice, or at least try to get a second opinion about diving from a cardiologist with a background in scuba. DAN would be a good place to start that search.

 

[scubaozy]

 

[Dan]

I got a 90% blockage on my Right Coronary Artery (RCA) back in March 2010. Cardiologist put a stent in the RCA. That was 12 years & 900 dives ago. My cardiologist gave me a clearance after 6 months of the stent procedure to continue my diving adventure.

I haven’t changed my diving style a bit since then. Today I have just completed 1200 dives. My deepest dive was 145’ (44m) in Palau in 2017 to see sleeping Zebra Shark. Last year I went to 135’ (41m) following big mama Whaleshark in Socorro and seeing Mola2 in Nusa Penida.

 

[Dan]

Changing eating habit (less fatty food) and exercise help. My cholesterol dropped from 280 before the heart attack to 160 afterwards. In 2014 I hiked up & summited Mount Kilimanjaro (6,000m / 20,000’ elevation). I cycle about 100 miles (160km) / week, when I’m at home.

 

[miserkris]

Changing eating habit (less fatty food) and exercise help. My cholesterol dropped from 280 before the heart attack to 160 afterwards. In 2014 I hiked up & summited Mount Kilimanjaro (6,000m / 20,000’ elevation). I cycle about 100 miles (160km) / week, when I’m at home.

Congrats!
Mine was in the LAD artery 99% blockage(stent). I'm in statin and blood thinners etc...
My LDL was 130 before attack. I think diabetes did the damage since a1c was 7.

Now I lost weight normal BMI ... LDL 60.
all normal... Eating vegetarian and fish. Occasionally fall for red meat while on vacation. I walk an hour daily...

Quite a scare.

Wonder if cardiologists just say no to diving for CYA ... But I'm always close to the buddy and never venture alone.

Let me read thru other posts and decide THANKS

I really enjoy shallow dives, air is longer, no safety stop needed almost... And it's bright.

 

[Rick Brant]

I had a similar event with two stents. I had several doctors involved in my SCUBA evaluation including my cardiologist. I wanted a new/clean medical form as I was in the middle of DM training. I did get my form signed. More importantly, I have been on 50+ dives since then and have felt great. For me, diving is a huge stress release, even when it is physically challenging. I also try and stay in shape and maintain a solid exercise regimen aside from diving.

 

[captain]

I had triple coronary artery bypass in 1999, I was back diving in 6 months.

 

[Kharon]

I had a stent put in some years ago and it has never affected my diving. I have a (regularly) abnormal EKG that doesn't bother my Cardiologist. I'd get a second opinion from a doc that knows about diving.

 

[DogDiver]

What did DAN say when you called them? If your cardiologist told you to end diving then that decision is up to you. There are no scuba police to keep you from diving. However ask yourself. What will your dive buddy go through when you don’t surface from a dive?