High Blood Pressure

[andydivebum]

My wife has been diagnosed with slightly high blood pressure, only just above the limit. She dives regularly and has done about 600 dives with no incidents. The doctor has prescribed TELMISARTAN. Any advice on the suitability of this medication with diving?

[Steve S]

Hi Andy,

Here are the UKSDMC guidlines Hypertension - BSAC

HTH

Safe diving,
Steve

[Scubee]

I don't know which category of drugs Telmisartan comes into. If it is an ACE inhibitor, it should be OK, but it is worthwhile checking it out with a dive doctor. No doubt someone will be along to suggest one!

I am really surprised that the BSAC article says that 'Occasionally a medical referee may approve the use of a low dose of a beta-blocker'

Betablockers are contraindicated by the HSE for dive medicals because the block the adrenal gland and inhibit the 'fight or flight' reflex.

(nb... I am not a doctor, just a controlled hypertensive!)

[nickb]

Originally Posted by Scubee

Betablockers are contraindicated by the HSE for dive medicals because the block the adrenal gland and inhibit the 'fight or flight' reflex.

Is that such a bad thing? I might want the 'fight or flight' reflex to kick in if I came across a great white or giant squid but I'd rather stay calm, cool and collected if I got tangled up in some line or encountered a free-flow.

I was prescribed low-dose Atenolol as a migraine preventative and a doctor at the DDRC told me that I shouldn't dive if I was using them. I therefore only used them when I wasn't diving. Having said that, aside from very rare postural hypotension now and again (my blood-pressure is normal without medication), I never noticed any ill-effects when I used them and I'm sure I'd have been fine to dive on them, certainly better than say, diving with a hangover, which I understand some people have done.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by nickb

Is that such a bad thing? I might want the 'fight or flight' reflex to kick in if I came across a great white or giant squid but I'd rather stay calm, cool and collected if I got tangled up in some line or encountered a free-flow.

I was prescribed low-dose Atenolol as a migraine preventative and a doctor at the DDRC told me that I shouldn't dive if I was using them.

I've been diving on Atenalol for years. They took me off it for 48 hours before a treadmill test for last years dive medical but I'm back on now.

Having an adrenalin blocker sure took the buzz out of sliding your knee round roundabouts on a motorbike but I agree, not having a panic reflex can only help in the water. If I get into a high effort situation I'll just give up and blob off. Hang it I do diving for fun not exercise. (Well if hauling the kit doesn't kill me first.)

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by andydivebum

My wife has been diagnosed with slightly high blood pressure, only just above the limit. She dives regularly and has done about 600 dives with no incidents. The doctor has prescribed TELMISARTAN. Any advice on the suitability of this medication with diving?

Telmisartan and diving is fine, but she does need an assessment because of the blood pressure but if no other issues would probably be found fit.
Atenolol and other B Blockers need special consideration and I would normally say don't dive but after careful consideration it may be OK for some people to dive.
Cheers