FLYING RESTRICTIONS, DRIVING RESTRICTIONS & PROGNOSIS
FLYING RESTRICTIONS:
- Flying: minimum 2 weeks post-event if you can climb 1 flight of stairs
- Contraindications to flying: unstable angina, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled arrhythmias, severe heart failure with valvular disease – Post-procedure flying restrictions:
- Uncomplicated MI: 7-10 days
- Complicated MI: 4-6 weeks
- CABG: 10-14 days
- PCI: 5 days
DRIVING RESTRICTIONS:
- Post-angiogram: 1 week if successful, >4 weeks if unsuccessful
- PCI: 1 week
- CABG: >4 weeks
- Cease driving if angina/distress at the wheel (if symptomatic – don’t drive & inform
DVLA)
- Heart failure: continue unless NYHA class 4
- TIA/stroke: 1-month restriction
- Pacemaker: >1 week
- Arrhythmias: resume when diagnosed and controlled for >4 weeks
- Failed catheter ablation: 2 days of restriction
PROGNOSIS
Complications:
- Early: anxiety, depression, sudden cardiac death, bleeding, arrhythmias
- Pericardial: early pericarditis, Dressler’s syndrome (1-2 weeks post-MI)
- Mechanical: mitral regurgitation, LV failure, LV aneurysm, cardiac rupture
- Others: LV thrombus, VTE, shock, post-MI angina
KEY INFORMATION
- A comprehensive secondary prevention strategy is required
- Specific timeframes for resumption of activities – Regular monitoring of complications is essential