Diving after a heart attack

[chillyinCanada]

Bill here. So it has been a while.The heart attack was followed later that year with a tumor in my gallbladder, lol. Had the gallbladder removed and never felt so good for years. Getting older sucks !!!

Have been on many a snorkel trip but no scuba. I feel like I could scuba but the cardiologist said the water pressure could cause a problem in the 4 inches of stents they put in my arteries. I didn't realize that the three stents are in a line supporting the right coronary artery.

Anyway, I was thinking I would stop by here and give an update. Things are good !!!

Bill

I really appreciate you coming back and giving us an update.

Even though you haven't been diving, it sounds as though you are enjoying your life and that's wonderful!

 

[Mr Bill]

@Dr. Doug Ebersole does this make sense to you?

I failed to mention that I lost over 20% of my heart muscle because I had a no pain heart attack and didn't realize I was having a heart attack. I went to the ER 30 hours after the heart attacks began. I actually went because I wasn't getting enough air even though I was breathing. I'm told I'm lucky to have made it to the hospital. The lining around my heart filled with fluid in what they called Pericarditis but I think this only lasted about 8 months.

I think it is the loss of heart muscle that was the concern with both the Cardiologist and Dive Doctor.

And possibly the biggest reason is my wife. She was there when I spoke to the Cardiologist and he didn't really like the idea of me partaking in scuba. I never had a real appointment with the Dive Doctor as he said no because of the heart damage.

Anyway, I recently snorkeled Ahihi Cove and the Lava Field and it was pretty good. Next up is Cabo Pulmo.

Bill

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

If you have significant weakening of your heart muscle, a left ventricular ejection fraction of < 40% on echocardiogram, that would be a reason to avoid scuba diving due to the increased risk of going into congestive heart failure with the fluid shifts from the periphery to the central circulation. Of course, this could happen snorkeling (or any other immersion in water) as well but with snorkeling you would likely be able to get out of the water and get to treatment sooner than if you were scuba diving.

 

[Mr Bill]

If you have significant weakening of your heart muscle, a left ventricular ejection fraction of < 40% on echocardiogram, that would be a reason to avoid scuba diving due to the increased risk of going into congestive heart failure with the fluid shifts from the periphery to the central circulation. Of course, this could happen snorkeling (or any other immersion in water) as well but with snorkeling you would likely be able to get out of the water and get to treatment sooner than if you were scuba diving.

I think my ejection fraction was about 50% when I first posted after the heart attack. I might be higher now. My blood pressure was very low after the heart attack but is now in the low normal range of around 98/ 66 at rest . In my work outs I do get my heart rate and blood pressure up. My bp was so low for a while I would get dizzy standing up normally. That rarely happens anymore.

I do walk three miles about every other day. My average speed outdoors is 4 mph so it is a fast pace. My average pace on a treadmill is 4 mph but I can elevate the track to increase my heart rate. In cardiac rehab I established a safe heart rate of 145 instead of the guideline of about 130.

Should I talk to the cardiologist again about scuba ? What would I ask ?

Thanks
Bill

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

Look at my previous post. If you indeed have good exercise tolerance, normal heart muscle function, and a normal exercise stress test, you should be able to return to recreational scuba diving without restrictions. So those are the things I would ask your cardiologist.