After Heart Stents Can Go on Roller Coasters

Ultimate Rollercoaster > Discussion Forums > Roller Coasters, Parks & Attractions > Riding coasters after a heart attack.

Riding coasters after a heart attack.

snowwhite40

Posted: 6/29/14 at 10:49:49 PM

Hi there,
Does anyone know anybody that has rode coasters after a major heart attack? My husband had a heart attack a few months ago and was told by the cardiologist that he could continue to ride. Just wanted to get a little feedback if possible. He's been on a lot of big ones - Kingda Ka, Top Thrill Dragster, etc. and would love to still be able to ride. Thanks!

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by frontrow at 6/30/14 4:16:51 AM

Even though I love coasters, I personally wouldn't try it. I read somewhere that during a coaster ride your organs may slightly shift in a unnatural way, or remain in place while your body is shifting. Either way your organs are doing something that not natural. Thats why they have warning signs stating that no one should ride with a heart condition. A few years ago a women died on Kentucky Rumbler at Beech Bend. I've ridden the coaster, and its nothing more than an aggressive wooden coaster. Come to find out she had heart surgery a few weeks before and died of a heart attack while on the ride. A doctor knows a lot more than I do, but I just wouldn't take that chance. Even if I developed a back problem, I would probably wouldn't ride most coasters.

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by Katie at 6/30/14 10:50:38 AM

I wouldn't consider Rumbler aggressive. It's a fun woodie and very playful, but not aggressive. I have high blood pressure on occasion, my doc said as long as my numbers stay in normal range, I can ride.

If a doctor says its fine to ride, then ride. Don't waste your life not having fun. If I'm gonna kick the bucket, I wanna have fun doing it.

The lady that died on Rumbler probably wasn't cleared by a doctor to ride. She should have waited a bit longer to ride and ask her doctor. Clearly the original poster said the doc told them it was OK to ride.

Go have fun!

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by houstondavid at 6/30/14 9:30:10 PM

Roller coasters can certainly put a lot of stress on our bodies. Most of that stress is born by our skeleton an muscles and our internal organs are actually well supported and cushioned within our torso. A heart attack is caused by an interruption or restriction of the blood to the muscle of the heart. And that restriction (if not addressed) limits the ability of the heart to pump blood under heavy load for extended periods. But riding doesn't necessarily make them work real hard other than the (hopefully) couple minutes of adrenaline rush, and the mechanical loads seem unlikely to aggravate the problem that caused the heart attack. So in the absence of structural weaknesses from a thin heart wall or an aneurysm or recent heart surgery, the cardiologist's permission to ride seems reasonable. Has the cardiologist put your husband on any other sorts of restrictions?

In any event, it would seem prudent to start with the less aggressive rides and work back to the more aggressive and always looking out for signs of trouble.

Your question raises the more general question of what sort of medical conditions would preclude riding coasters?
- Neck/back injuries.
- Hernia.
- Aneurysm.
- History of stroke.
- Recent surgery.
What do you think?

David

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by frontrow at 7/1/14 2:23:27 AM

Katie said:
I wouldn't consider Rumbler aggressive. It's a fun woodie and very playful, but not aggressive. I have high blood pressure on occasion, my doc said as long as my numbers stay in normal range, I can ride.

If a doctor says its fine to ride, then ride. Don't waste your life not having fun. If I'm gonna kick the bucket, I wanna have fun doing it.

The lady that died on Rumbler probably wasn't cleared by a doctor to ride. She should have waited a bit longer to ride and ask her doctor. Clearly the original poster said the doc told them it was OK to ride.

Go have fun!

I did state in my post that a doctor knows more than I do. I just wouldn't personally take that chance. I've had 3 surgeries for the same issue in the past year, and my doctor has been wrong. Doctors go by percentages and from their previous, similar experiences. I tell my kids all the time, enjoy these coasters trips now, you never know how long I'll be able to keep doing this. The reason I referred Kentucky Rumbler as an aggressive ride is because its not super smooth. During my visit to Beech Bend I rode it 20 times. It wasn't rough by any means, but it felt like a wooden coaster. It wasn't as aggressive as The Voyage or Hades, but packed a punch for a smaller coaster. I do get your point about living your life, and I agree. I just think when you have an issue with a major organ like your heart, you have to reevaluate your lifestyle.

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by Coaster316 at 7/1/14 8:46:15 AM

My mom had a heart attack several years ago. Since then she has ridden a few coasters, but mostly tame ones. She wasn't a huge coaster fan before, but would ride pretty much any wooden coaster. Since, she's done I think Knoebels' Phoenix plus Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain at Walt Disney world. She also loves Tower of Terror and has done that multiple times.

In total, she's cut back on what she rides but hasn't stopped completely.

If the Dr says its ok, then I'd feel pretty comfortable, but still I would start smaller, see how I feel, and work my way up.

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by mugen828 at 7/1/14 2:30:50 PM

Go with what the doctor says.

We can speculate, tell you stories, ect ect, but the doctor is the end all be all if he should be riding or not.

With that said! My advice would be to get a second opinion from another doctor. Just in case!

- mugen828
157 Coasters -- Favorite Coaster -- Nitro (SFGAdv)
117 Steel -- 40 Wood -- Home Park: SFGADv

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by snowwhite40 at 7/2/14 11:20:52 PM

Thanks a lot for the feedback!

Re: Riding coasters after a heart attack. by Trumpanzees at 12/1/16 12:11:49 PM

Here's my 10c worth!
I had a heart attack a few years ago - unbeknownst to me I had developed arthereosclerosis from bad lifestyle habits. As a chubby 40 something I started cycling to get fitter, lose weight etc. One day after cycling to work I suffered my attack.
I had pushed the bike ride a little but felt great when I got to work - was cycling really fast and didn't seem to be gasping for breath but a classic trigger for a mid-age heart attack is when you don't know you have hardened arteries and you over exert yourself. The heart demands more oxygen because of the exertion as it beats faster and the pressure in those hard, reduced diameter arteries is too much for them to take. The rust on their inner walls breaks and goopy fatty garbage starts seeping into the artery. Once it gets to a smaller vein it can block, the heart suffers and you get the attack.
So, in this case, if you are on a particularly exciting roller coaster, apparently you can get elevated heart rates from the stress and excitement - up to 200bpm so you have the same result as if you over exert yourself and you risk breaking rupturing the garbage on your artery walls.
This is my understanding of my particular case!
Good luck!

After Heart Stents Can Go on Roller Coasters

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