Mobitz type II heart block????

Question

I have mobitz type 2 block, why cant I go in a hot tub?

Do I have to refrain from being in the the heat for prolonged periods of time? ex. mow the lawn on a hot summer day, exercise in hot conditions.....ect

Answer 1

Because your heart can't speed up quickly like a normal heart.

In a hot tub the sudden warmth makes the blood vessels in your skin dilate which will drop your blood pressure. A normal heart will accelerate from, say 70 beats per minute to 100 beats per minute, to keep blood flowing to your brain, lungs and kidneys. Because you have a heart block your heart can not accelerate as quickly--it will still accelerate, but only half as fast (assuming you have a 2 to 1 block). You would be much more likely to pass out and drown in a hot tub. This is also why alcohol and hot tubs don't mix. The alcohol makes you sleepy, and dilates your skin's blood vessels as well (like people whose face gets red when they drink). People who drink alcohol in hot tubs will occasionally pass out and drown as well.

Hot weather would be less of a problem, because it's a more gradual change for your body. Just make sure you don't get dehydrated in hot weather.