| Several issues here:
Atrial fibrillation of itself doesn't necessarily mean an end to diving. Some people walk around completely unaware that they have atrial fibrillation. Others do not tolerate the abnormal rhythm so well, and as the heart races away it is unable to pump blood efficiently to the brain (causing dizziness or blackout), the lungs (causing breathlessness) or even to the heart itself (causing angina). Not a situation you would want to find yourself in underwater really. Atrial fibrillation often starts and stops abruptly and without warning, so you wouldn't necessarily have time to surface before you were in trouble. Finally, atrial fibrillation may leave you at increased risk of forming blood clots within the heart which can pass into the circulation and cause a stroke. This risk can be reduced with the use of an anticoagulant such as warfarin, but this comes with it's own risks - for example you can haemorrage into your brain or spinal cord if you get DCS.
Having said all that, some cases of atrial fibrillation are due to treatable causes e.g. thyroid problems, alcohol excess or binge drinking, chemical abnormalities in the blood etc. If one of these causes was responsibe for your episode then, once treated, you may be fit to return to diving if it is felt that the risk of another episode is low. There are people diving on anticoagulation medication, often diving nitrox on air tables and staying well away from no stop limits to reduce the DCS risk.
Bear in mind that it may be impossible to predict the risk of future attacks. If so (and assuming you can find a doctor willing to declare you dive fit) you have to weigh up the risks of diving with a condition that could easily kill you if it occured underwater or at a remote dive site against your love of diving. I had an ex- with a similar problem who was declared dive fit by a cardiologist on the grounds that she knew the risks and still considered diving worth it. We stuck to no-decompression stop diving and both lived with the reality that if she had an attack underwater she'd have to take her chances with a CBL.
Whatever you do, good luck, and make sure you see a cardiologist with a special interest in diving to make sure you get balanced advice. The HSE hold a list of such doctors, and i'm sure the UK sport diving medical comittee would also be able to point you in the right direction.
Take care,
CC  |