high blood pressure

[scubarookie]

just wondering if anybody else has had to deal with this. i was about to start my open water course and found out i had high blood pressure. i have since gotten it under control with meds. and i have gone through all the tests for my heart and it is ok. i have asked my doctor and he said i,m ok. should i be concerned about this.

 

[wedivebc]

I am not a DR but my understanding is if you are using diurtetics to control your BP you may want to be sure you hydrate yourself before diving. De-hydration is a leading pre-disposition factor to DCS.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I take two meds to control my blood pressure. One is fine to take and dive, the other is not. So I take the other before bed instead of in the morning and all is working out well.

You need to have your doc, or DAN or someone like scubadoc let you know if your meds are ok to take and dive.

 

[Charlie99]

just wondering if anybody else has had to deal with this.

Divers Alert Network is a good source for diving medicine info. Here's their FAQ on hypertension. There are several different general classes of high blood pressure medicine. DAN says that the ACE group is the preferred one for divers. My doctor, for other reasons, chose Lisinopril, which luckily is one of the ACE group.

As with any medicine, watch for side effects for a few days before diving after starting it or changing dosage.

 

[JWMays]

Just curious if anyone found out anything about beta blockers? I have been taking them for about two years and really had not thought to ask if they affected diving.

 

[rigdiver]

Just curious if anyone found out anything about beta blockers? I have been taking them for about two years and really had not thought to ask if they affected diving.

DAN would be the source for info. The answer needs to come from a Dr. with diving/hyperbaric specialty training. If the answer you go with comes from any other source and something goes wrong in this suit happy world there is potential trouble.
Bill R.N.

 

[Martini]

I am not a doctor but it is my understanding that Beta blockers and diving don't mix. You should really contact DAN and be sure though. My wife has high blood pressure which she regulates with meds and she dives with no problem. Our doctor is DAN reccommended and picked a med that would not interfere with diving.

 

[Lisa0825]

Do you work out and eat right? My blood pressure correlates directly with my current habits. When I eat healthy and work out, my blood pressure is excellent. When I fall out of good habits, it goes up. I am currently trying to re-establish my old good habits. The doc said if I come back for my next checkup and my blood pressure is not back at good levels, she will want to try meds. I don't want to start down that road, so i am determined to do what needs to be done!

 

[ArcticDiver]

DAN is a wonderful resource. They generally do a good job. So, I support them with my membership and additional contributions.

That said, DAN is nothing more than a good information source. But, that informtion is not always the best for a specific individual. They do not have the information to be your Clinical Provider. So, it is fine to call DAN for general knowledge. Or, maybe even to have your Provider call them for research references.

Another good research information source is the scubadoc website.

But that is all these places are; good research information sources. Ultimately it is the team of You and your Provider who must make the best decisions for You and face the consequences of those decisions.

Good luck with your quest for good health and an active life.

 

[spectrum]

Just curious if anyone found out anything about beta blockers? I have been taking them for about two years and really had not thought to ask if they affected diving.

I'm on Atenolol and my doctor is fine with me diving, same for my wife. The drug will limit your maximum heart rate so you need to be sure that your dosage does not unduly limit your cpacity for strenuous activity. This means in a bad situation not just during a textbook dive.

I'm not a doctor but that's my experience. By all means bring it up with your physician. In some cases streess tests are in order to document your work capacity.

As mentioned DAN is also a good source of reference material and may be good to speak with before speaking with your physician. If possibble get yourself in the hands of a dive savy doctor. This can have long term value.

Pete