Have Heart Disease? Beware of
Roller coasters

By Sally Finder-Koziol

The spectacular climbs, loops, and dives of a roller coaster hold thrills, chills, and real risks for people with heart disease.
 
“Individuals who have suffered a heart attack or have heart disease or irregular heart rhythms should not ride a roller coaster,” says Dr. Jurgen Kuschyk, a cardiologist in Mannheim, Germany. “The rising heart rate in riders with pre-existing heart disease could result in heart attack, irregular heart rhythms, and possibly sudden cardiac death.”

A German study found that some people who rode a roller coaster had an increased heart rate that could cause irregular heartbeat. For young, healthy people, there is no risk for heart attack from riding a roller coaster, Kuschyk says.

Source: American Heart Association