Pulmonary (Lung) Disease
The decision to travel by air
for patients with lung disease is largely based
on the
type and severity of the disorder and the physician’s judgment regarding
your tolerance to altitude.
This can best be done by the physician with a preflight
history, physical examination and, in some cases, laboratory tests.
A good,
simple measure of fitness to fly is whether or not you can walk 50
-
100 yards at a
normal pace or climb one flight of stairs without becoming severely short of
breath.
Additional factors to consider are the altitude of the departure and arrival
airports, the length of the journey, an
d history of prior air travel.
In some cases,
air travel may need to be postponed.
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