With no hospital nearby, people who have heart problems should prepare for the worst when traveling.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Cruise companies do an ocean liner's worth of wonderful things well—such as providing opulent feasts, nighttime festivities, and opportunities to frolic. But as a new study on cardiovascular emergencies in cruise-ship passengers just published in the American Journal of Cardiology reveals, taking care of an onboard heart-related emergency isn't what they're best at. Which is why any traveler with a history of heart problems needs to be prepared for the worst.

THE DETAILS: Cleveland Clinic Florida, located in Weston, Florida, contracts with five large cruise lines to provide consultations via teleconference for heart-related emergencies. Over the two years cataloged in the study, they consulted on 100 cases—76 men and 24 women. The average age of the passenger was 66. The most common symptom was chest pain. Ten patients had had heart-related symptoms in the days or weeks before boarding; and three patients died while still on the ship.

Additional stats: 19 percent of the passengers with heart-related emergencies had diagnosed heart disease, 13 percent had a history of abnormal heart rhythm, 11 percent had had heart bypass surgery, and 7 percent had had a previous heart attack. Twenty-five passengers had to be triaged to Cleveland Clinic Florida; 17 of them underwent surgery to clear blocked arteries, and one of them died.