Description of Condition:
Fortunately, for both patients and thoracic surgeons
coronary artery disease affects the first part, or proximal end, of
the artery much more frequently and severely than the downstream portion
of the artery. This allows for a surgical procedure that uses a portion
of a vein or another artery to direct blood around the blockage.
This procedure is performed more than 500,000 times annually in the USA alsone.
If the bypass is successful, the individual should become free of the
symptoms of coronary artery disease, and the heart muscle should
receive normal blood flow and oxygen.
Fitness and Diving Issue:
An individual who has undergone coronary
artery bypass grafting or
angioplasty may have suffered significant cardiac damage prior to
having the surgery. The post-operative cardiac function of individuals
dictates their fitness for diving. Anyone who has had open-chest
surgery needs appropriate medical evaluation prior to scuba diving.
After a period of stabilization and healing (6-12 months is usually advised ),
the individual should have a thorough cardiovascular evaluation prior to
being cleared to dive. He or she should be free of chest pain and have
normal exercise tolerance, as evidenced by a normal stress EKG test
(13 mets or stage 4 of the Bruce protocol (defined at the end of
previous section on MI). If there is any doubt about the success of
the procedure or how open the coronary arteries are, the individual
should refrain from diving.
(James Caruso MD, Alert Diver, Jul-Aug 1999.)
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Cardiovascular Topics
- Hypertension
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Cardiac Dysrythmias
- Cardiac Mumurs
- Atrial & Ventrical Septal Defects
- Raynaud's Syndrome
- Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)
- Heart Valve Replacement
- Pacemakers and Diving (.pdf)