High BP and Diving?

[StevenN]

I'm hypertensive and dive with my doctor's blessing. Making sure that you're not taking any contraindicative medicine is important and you're doing the right thing by keeping your doctor in the loop. Like everyone else said it's a good idea to have a doctor that understands diving for this and other reasons.

Like fireflock said every diver should be a DAN member.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Understand that DAN does a fine job of coordinating and expediting reaction to adverse events and is a good clearing house for information. But they are not the original authoritative source for treatment. That responsibility is with your on scene medical provider.

If you believe the answer your current provider is giving you is based on lack of knowledge find another you can trust and who has the proper training. I like on who is trained in hyperbarics and is a frequent and experienced diver. But, keep in mind that not likeing the answer you get doesn't mean it is the wrong answer.

 

[TSandM]

ArcticDiver, your caution about not disregarding unpleasant medical advice is appropriate, but in this case, I believe the OP is right to question the blanket ban he's been given.

Essential hypertension in an otherwise healthy young person, well controlled on a low-risk medication, is not a contraindication to diving. Hypertension, particularly severe, long-term or poorly controlled, raises the risk of the scariest diving complication, namely heart attack. But only the person's primary physician is privy to all the data necessary to decide if that risk is high enough to draw a line in the sand about diving.

Hypertension is depressingly prevalent in the US, and if properly treated and monitored, does not represent an absolute contraindication to diving. The DAN articles have a lot of good information for the OP and his doctor.

 

[ArcticDiver]

TS & M:
Thanks for expanding on my reply. The key is that any individual needs an individual answer from a competent source. That source is someone who is trained and has a chance to consider all the factors for that individual.

In the end though, it isn't whether a person likes the answer; it is whether the answer is appropriate for that person and is communicated so the person understands why. From the data given we don't know the underlying reason for his provider's postion and the OP certainly doesn't understand the Why.

If I was the OP I would do pull out all the stops to find that competent person before I made any life changing decisions.

 

[RickJames]

I agree with all of you and will take ya'lls advice. I think now looking back at alot of the answers that my doctor does not know alot about SCUBA and just assumes it is extreme for anyone with hypertension. I will show him the article and quiz him better to see what his intake and suggestions are. If I see he does not comprehend, I will seek another doctor's consultation. As anyone with high blood pressure knows, it is hard to switch from doctor to doctor because of all the tests you have to go through. Each doctor holds his own standards in his field. I really like everyones concern and though I am new to this forum, I figured no better place to seek the knowledge and advice on something of this nature and people who love diving as much as I do. Thanks!

 

[RickJames]

Oh by the way I am researching DAN as we speak. LOL

 

[erdoc1]

As a physician myself, I can tell you that most of the internists and family practitioners that you will see have zero training with regard to diving medicine. Also, due to high liability, very few are willing to "medically clear" a patient for a sport whose risks they do not fully understand. Without a doubt, your condition should be well-controlled prior to engaging in a dive program, and you should definitely enlist the help of a physician trained in dive medicine to obtain your medical clearance. The recommendation of researching such a physician on the DAN website is an excellent one.

 

[haynes0]

I have high blood pressure and it has not stopped me from diving. 2 years ago about 3 weeks before my wife and I were going on a dive trip I had a check up. They found 3 blockages 2-80% and 1-90%, I had 3 stents installed and still made my trip. My Heart Doctor wanted me to stay above 40 feet, so I was limited to shallow dives. Been diving ever since without problems, last summer we dove the walls in the Turks. Those were around 90 - 100 dives no problems. My idea is to stay on top of it, and enjoy. You only live once.

 

[Garrobo]

Yep. Calls for a change of doctors, fer shure.

 

[Rick Inman]

BTW, I am borderline HT, I have taken my BP before and after diving, and found that it drops a good 20 points after a dive and stays that way for about 2 days. I asked my doctor about it, and all he said was that he prescribes that I dive often.

My wife was there when he said it.

I could have kissed him.

You might try seeing if yours drops at all after diving.