Query

[Jay_Benson]

One of my colleagues is thinking about taking up diving with his son but there are a few questions about his medication.

He is currently on:

Metaprolol - Beta blocker
Ramapril - anti-coagulant
Simavastation - statin
Aspirin - anti-coagulant

All of these are as a result of a heart attack about 5 years ago. He does not have problems with high blood pressure or high cholestorol with his medication.

Does anyone know if these are no-no medicines?

Many thanks in advance

Jay

[Scubee]

The only one I can comment on is the beta blocker. These are allegedly a no-no for diving because of the way they control blood pressure. I used to be on one, and was changed to allow me to pass an HSE medical.

If he needs specific advice, then he could email the names and doses of his medicines to e-med and they will give him specific advice. They are run by divers and will give free advice on such matters.
HTH

[liamm]

theres a few on this board that can talk from experience and i'm sure will be along to give advise.
I dive with asthma which means i have to tick certain boxes on waiver forms , i imagine you will as well. My advise is to get a yearly medical from a doc who knows a bit about diving - its much easier to hand this over than to try and explain your medical history to someone in a dive shop.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Jay_Benson

Metaprolol - Beta blocker
Ramapril - anti-coagulant
Simavastation - statin
Aspirin - anti-coagulant

All of these are as a result of a heart attack about 5 years ago.

He's going to have to take this to a proper diving doctor.

I'm on a similar list, including a Beta-blocker, after a heart attack 7 years ago and I get a medical sign off every year.
It's not just the insurance, I'm not going to dump a body on some poor buddy and leave them wondering what they did wrong for the rest of their life.

I'm guessing you've seen the UKSDMC list of doctors.
They won't say no unless they need too while your local GP will have to say no if he isn't sure.

[Jay_Benson]

Dear All

Thank you for the advice - I had warned him that there was a very high chance that the answer was going to be a big fat no. However it does not look too bad at this point and so I will suggest that he contacts e-med in the first instance before wasting half a wallet of money on a proper dive medical and then be told no.

Thanks again.