rem308
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I have a friend that is worried about diving with high cholesterol levels can you tell me what could happen to a diver with high cholesterol at depth?
High cholesteral and diving.......
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Dr Deco
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Dear rem:
In principle, cholesterol in the blood stream might dissolve more nitrogen gas and distribute it to the diver's tissues while on the bottom. It also might dissolve the nitrogen in the blood, carry it in the blood stream to the lungs, and help eliminate it while at the surface.
In a study performed by NASA, there was not a real correlation of cholesterol levels and risk of DCS when very stressful exposures were made (to altitude). NASA physicians will eliminate someone with levels above 200, however. The basis for this is very weak, however.
While elevated cholesterol is, in general, a concern for heart and stroke problems, it is not a direct concern for decompression sickness.
Dr Deco
In principle, cholesterol in the blood stream might dissolve more nitrogen gas and distribute it to the diver's tissues while on the bottom. It also might dissolve the nitrogen in the blood, carry it in the blood stream to the lungs, and help eliminate it while at the surface.
In a study performed by NASA, there was not a real correlation of cholesterol levels and risk of DCS when very stressful exposures were made (to altitude). NASA physicians will eliminate someone with levels above 200, however. The basis for this is very weak, however.
While elevated cholesterol is, in general, a concern for heart and stroke problems, it is not a direct concern for decompression sickness.
Dr Deco
Dr Deco
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Dear Readers:
That is it. We all need to watch -- and sometimes control - - these situations.
This is also a problem for me, and I am working on it. This is one of the monsters in our lives :monster:
Dr Deco
That is it. We all need to watch -- and sometimes control - - these situations.
This is also a problem for me, and I am working on it. This is one of the monsters in our lives :monster:
Dr Deco
Cholesterol count alone isn't much of an indicator of anything. And while there is a statistical correlation between high cholesterol and heart attack/stroke, there is a much higher statistical correlation between heart attack/stroke and your parents having had a heart attack/stroke, and if you smoke the correlation goes through the roof.
My answer would be that your question is incomplete. Does the subject have high blood pressure? A family history of stroke or heart attack? Does the subject smoke? Is the subject obese? Combine any of these with high cholesterol and maybe you have a problem, while in the absense of any other indicator than high cholesterol the probability of high cholesterol alone being a problem is all but non existent - my bet is it's not even a statistical blip on the scope. (I work on keeping mine down, too... just in case, don'tcha know)
Rick
My answer would be that your question is incomplete. Does the subject have high blood pressure? A family history of stroke or heart attack? Does the subject smoke? Is the subject obese? Combine any of these with high cholesterol and maybe you have a problem, while in the absense of any other indicator than high cholesterol the probability of high cholesterol alone being a problem is all but non existent - my bet is it's not even a statistical blip on the scope. (I work on keeping mine down, too... just in case, don'tcha know)
Rick
abdul ghani
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i am Abdul Ghani diving doctor recently colified from my diving school i have a patient have cholesterol level high more than normal range and he is diver from 20 yrs he worried about diving , he is fit other lab ,ent, eye, chest xary only cholesterol high , what he can countinue his diving or go to treatment frist. thank you. reply please.
JamesBon92007
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This thread rather begs the question of the treatment of high cholesterol and scuba, so I'm glad that Dr. Ghani has indirectly raised the issue. There in fact is a widely prescribed class of anti-cholesterol drugs (i.e., statins such as Crestor (rosuvastatin), Lipitor (atorvastatin) & Zocor (simvastatin)) that can be of concern.
These medications can cause adverse effects which could render scuba unsafe, such as drowsiness, dizziness, memory loss, and mental confusion. They also can cause headache, rash, and muscle aches, tenderness & weakness, which could be confused with DCS.
Adequate topside trials should accompany drugs of this class before returning to diving.
Regards,
DocVikingo
This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.
Would this question be more precise if, instead of discussion general cholesterol levels, we discussed "good" vs "bad" cholesterol? Does that matter (for the diving and DCS discussion)?
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