Should I limit my traveling if I have a heart arrhythmia?
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Should I limit my traveling if I have a heart arrhythmia?
Generally speaking, it is safe for people with arrhythmias to travel. Riding in a car, bus, train, boat or plane is very unlikely to aggravate the arrhythmia. However, when people with arrhythmias do travel, several steps are recommended:
- Always bring a supply of medicine that will last longer than the expected length of the trip. That way, if the trip is extended, you will not run out of medicine.
- Bring a list of your medical conditions and an up-to-date list of your medicines (including dosages). Wear a medical alert bracelet that identifies your condition.
- Bring a list of the names and phone numbers of your doctors.
- Call 911 in the event of an emergency.
- If you have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), ask your doctor what you should do if you receive a shock from your ICD.
- If you have a pacemaker or an ICD, bring your ICD or pacemaker identification cards with you. These cards are usually given to people after they first have the device put in. They contain information about the specific type of device that you have, when it was put in, and your doctor's name and phone number.
Credits
| Author | Robin Parks, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Laurence Epstein, MD - Cardiac Electrophysiologist |
| Last Updated | July 7, 2007 |
| Last updated: | July 07, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Robin Parks, MS |
| Reviewed By: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Laurence Epstein, MD - Cardiac Electrophysiologist |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC |
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