Heart Problems

[jeff matthews]

:( I have been diagonsed with stable angina and am shortly to have angioplasty surgery - anyone know the rules about diving afterwards or do i sell my kit

[Adrian Kelland]

Jeff,

I would expect you to have to get a diving medical referree to give you a medical and discuss the merits or not of continuing to dive. Please see the link at the top of this page. Seeing as is is possible for divers with pfo repairs to continue to dive, it may be possible for you to do so. I have no idea, I am not a doctor :)

Best of luck,

Adrian

[Alan Ewart]

:( I have been diagonsed with stable angina and am shortly to have angioplasty surgery - anyone know the rules about diving afterwards or do i sell my kit

I know of at least one person who dives regularly after having had major heart surgery. Your case though is obviously different and as Ade says you will need medical clearance

[Nigel Hewitt]

:( I have been diagonsed with stable angina and am shortly to have angioplasty surgery - anyone know the rules about diving afterwards or do i sell my kitJust stable angina?
You lucky beggar.
I had a heart attack and it cost me six weeks on the shore.

OK I sweat coming up to the annual medical as one day it's going to be "I'm sorry Mr. Hewitt but..." but not yet.

http://www.nigelhewitt.co.uk/stuff/heart/index.html

[dr solway]

you will find the UKSDMC link says it all
http://www.uksdmc.co.uk/standards/Standards-%20revascularisation.htm
basicely trained diver, no symtoms after treatment, clear 12 lead ecg treadmill test, good functioning heart, no angina drugs (ie b blocker, nitrates, k cannel blockers) except aspirin/clopigerol and statin after treatment, anuall medicals, not to dive with novice divers in furture.

So don't sell your kit yet, good luck with the treatment, gets copies of hospital letter and tests and then see a UKSDMC ref for medical once well. You find a list on their web site


Dr B T Solway

[Tristan Green]

you will find the UKSDMC link says it all
http://www.uksdmc.co.uk/standards/Standards-%20revascularisation.htm
basicely trained diver, no symtoms after treatment, clear 12 lead ecg treadmill test, good functioning heart, no angina drugs (ie b blocker, nitrates, k cannel blockers) except aspirin/clopigerol and statin after treatment, anuall medicals, not to dive with novice divers in furture.

So don't sell your kit yet, good luck with the treatment, gets copies of hospital letter and tests and then see a UKSDMC ref for medical once well. You find a list on their web site


Dr B T Solway
Hi,

Nice to see a member of the UKSDMC diving referees posting on here. Welcome!

Cheers,
Tristan

[pink bubbler]

Having recently been through the PFO test scenario - I am proven to be holey and as I was told, the options open are threefold:

1. Don't dive
2. Dive to 15m MAX depth for short dives. (Depth may be extended by use of Nitrox)
3. Have a short general operation which involves inserting an umbrella type device into the hole - sealing it and allowing heart/scar tissue to form over the hole, effectively sealing the gap. Op takes about an hour - recovery in days.

If the last option is taken and a check-up post op proves that the hole is sealed, diving can be resumed WITHOUT limitation.

There are options - but if you do sell your kit.......

Kind regards, Pink Bubbler x