Using Beta Blockers and Diving

[flipper1957]

Having spent some years outside of the diving fraternity and wishing to return on a proffesional basis, my physical condition, I fear , may have caught up with me.

Today I use 'Atenolol' (a beta-blocker) for Hypertension, and initial investigations would appear to indicate that this would not be a problem.

I was wondering if there are any other members who use beta-blockers and what impact, if any, this has had on their diving?

Regards.

 

[Twospook]

Hey there Flipper.

Us newbies on the board may even be able to help eachother out a little! Yesterday, we went for our medical diving exam, performed by a specialised doctor. One of my friends happens to be on beta blockers as well, and even though the doctor who proscribed them said it would not be a problem, this guy said it can be extremely dangerous to dive while taking this medication. The reason is that your heartbeat is slowed down and your bloodpressure is lowered, increasing the risk of losing consciousness while diving. He specifically told my friend that he could dive, but not while taking the beta blockers, and also stated that most "normal" specialists (like the doctor who told my friend he would have no problems diving) simply do not know enough about what the human body experiences during a dive.

So what I would recommend, find a doctor who is a diver or specialises in dive medical issues, get a complete check up. and ask him/her how you can deal with this in such a way that you don't endanger your health or take unnecessary risks.

Good luck!

 

[DocVikingo]

You might find this from Scubadoc to be informative---->

http://www.scuba-doc.com/cvdrugs.htm

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[ssra30]

Lately it seems like beta blocker has gotten a bad rep for scuba diving. While it is true that you have to be cautious as it can reduce heartrate and reduce exercise capacity. However, you can be tested to see how much exercise you can tolerate.
If you just have essential hypertension and no coronary artery disease or some other cardiac condition, switching to another class of agent make sense but beta blocker does have benefits that other classes of medication do not have. Discuss with your doctor whether you are on beta blocker purely for high blood pressure or is there any other reason that your doctor prescribe you the medication. There might be a good reason that you might not want to stop beta blocker as part of your regiment.

 

[gazzahawkes]

hello
Bottom line is beta blockers eg(atenolol) affect the autonomic nervous ststem one symptom which has been reported is parastehesia (numb/tingleing) which can often be confused with dcs symptoms complicating diagnosis.

There is also debate is it possible that beta blockers can cause pulmonary oedema on imersion (swelling of lung tissue) or broncospasam both can be a total contradiction to diving.

General guidelines suggest that any one on moderate or higher doses of hypertensive drugs should not dive.

Please please make sure that you get evaluation to exercise tolerance from a DIVING SPECIALIST (dmo) they are well versed in this feild and really are the only people who can clear you for diving, most general practitioners are not divers and can not give appropiate info in this special feild.

I hope this of use.

regards
Gary Hawkes
Dive medic tech