Propranolol and diving

[Garrobo]

When I first started diving I was taking a medication, propranolol, for blood pressure. I found out that this medication could cause some problems for divers. You might want to Google it if you are taking it. It is a very good beta blocker, has been around a long time, is cheap and is used for lotsa other things like anxiety for public speaker, heart rythm problem, etc. Upon finding out the problems with this med my doctor changed me to a calcium channell blocker, 'diltiazem', which eliminated any future problems I might have with it. (Only a recommendation. I have no interest in either drug.)

 

[captain]

The problem with beta blockers and diving or any activity that may require a high rate of physical exertion is that it acts as a governor of the heart rate and could limit one's ability to manage a situation such as a strong current or an emergency that requires a high level of physical exertion. I believe DAN recommends that anyone on beta blockers not dive.

 

[Garrobo]

captain: I found a website which explained that the water pressure on the veins caused some sort of problem where the lungs would fill with a foamy blood mixture, possibly killing the diver. That sort of freaked me out. Also, what you said. That's what got me looking at the medications I was taking. I thought that the heart-rate regulation wasn't letting my muscles get enough oxygen and that I was tiring too soon while doing laps at the pool. After reading some of the published material I decided to look for something else. Lucky, my new doctor (the old one retired) was from Hawaii and had some experience with dive medicine.