Can you scuba dive with a stent in your heart?

There are many divers who have returned to diving after either CABG or stenting. Success in return to diving is based on restored exercise capacity without ischemia after revascularization, and choosing diving environments that do not produce excess stress on the cardiovascular system.

Why can’t you scuba dive if you have a hole in your heart?

If you have a PFO, an Arterial Gas Embolus is more likely as the hole in the heart can act as a “bypass” mechanism for bubbles into the arterial blood system. Therefore, making it more likely that you will get Decompression Illness.

Can you go scuba diving after a heart attack?

Broadly speaking, a heart attack means the heart has been damaged. To go diving again, we need to know that the heart will function well enough to withstand the stresses of diving (both anticipated and unanticipated) and not put you at risk of incapacity or death underwater.

Can you scuba dive with high blood pressure?

As long blood pressure is controlled; exercise capacity is unaffected; and the heart, brain, kidneys and blood vessels are not damaged so as to impose risk of sudden incapacitation, diving is not a problem.

Can you snorkel with a heart condition?

A: The majority of snorkeling deaths or emergencies in persons above age 50 are due to cardiac arrest, usually from a heart attack. While snorkeling may seem like a fun and relaxing activity that does not require a high level of fitness ability, in reality it can place a significantly increased workload on the heart.

Can you scuba dive while on blood thinners?

While you are taking blood thinners you should not dive. Diving is an activity where the risk of trauma is quite high and a person taking blood thinners who suffers trauma has a significant risk of a massive bleed.

Can you scuba dive if you are claustrophobic?

An overhead environment may induce a claustrophobic attack which could potentially result in panic underwater. If diving with claustrophobia, be sure to avoid wrecks, caves, coral swim-throughs and instead, stay in open water. Your buddy or instructor can also assist you in making a slow, safe ascent to end your dive.

What is a PFO diving?

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a condition in which the foramen ovale, present in the atrial septum of the developing fetus, fails to close after birth. In divers, it has been associated with severe neurological decompression sickness, inner ear decompression sickness, and cutis marmorata.

Can you scuba dive if you have high blood pressure?

Can you scuba dive while taking blood pressure medication?

You may be passed fit to dive by a doctor if your blood pressure is well controlled, your overall health is good, and there is no evidence of any heart, kidney or eye damage.