Heart Disease
Commercial aircraft cabins are usually pressurized to altitudes bet
ween
6,000 and 8,000 ft. depending upon the actual altitude of the airplane.
The
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) allow
a maximum of 8,000 ft.
At this altitude the oxygen supply in the air is decreased
with a corre
sponding decrease in the oxygen carried in the blood.
In general,
reasonably healthy individuals can easily tolerate this because the body is able to
compensate by increasing the heart rate and respiratory rate.
However, this may
not be true for those with
significant heart disease. This includes frequent angina
, heart failure, recent heart attack, and disease of the heart valves. In some
cases, air travel may have to be deferred and in others medical oxygen may be
required inflight.
Consequently, patients
with significant heart disease should
consult their physician if contemplating air travel.
The physician, in turn, must
exercise clinical judgment in formulating recommendations