Roller Coasters Raise Risk in Heart Patients-study

DALLAS (Reuters) - Keeping your hands inside the cars may not be enough warning for people with heart disease who want to ride roller coasters, a new study presented on Wednesday found.

"The rising heart rate in riders with pre-existing heart disease could result in heart attack, irregular heart rhythms and possibly sudden cardiac death," said Dr. Jurgen Kuschyk, who presented the findings of his study at the American Heart Association's annual scientific sessions.

The German study of 37 men and 18 women volunteers with no heart disease and average age of 28 found that heart rates increased dramatically during and after the a roller coaster ride to an extent that could cause arrhythmias, a dangerous irregular heart beat, in some people.

Forty-four percent of the participants had marked heart rhythm irregularities that lasted up to five minutes after their ride on the Expedition GeForce roller coaster at Holiday Park in Hassioch, Germany, researchers said.

People with high blood pressure, a previous heart attack, an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator and those with heart disease should not ride roller coasters, the researchers said.

Kuschyk, a cardiologist from University Hospital in Mannheim, Germany, suggested that roller coaster operators keep a defibrillator on hand.

"A lot of people don't know they have heart disease, yet they are riding roller coasters," he said.