It is a proven fact that arterial hypertension is one of the most common diseases of the modern world.
In the 21st century, you can sit at a computer and earn millions; there is no need to go to supermarkets or attend lectures at a university.
Thus, modern man moves little and eats heavily. If we add to this the low quality of products, poor ecology and stress, then we get a favorable background for the development of pathology of the cardiovascular system.
It may happen that in connection with a long-awaited vacation or business trip, there is a need to use the services of airlines. There is a lot of information in the medical literature about whether you can fly on an airplane if you have hypertension. All of it is heterogeneous and sometimes raises doubts.
This article will briefly discuss the basics of the influence of high altitude on the human body, describe contraindications for flying, as well as recommendations that will make the trip as comfortable and safe as possible.
- 1 What are the dangers of flying if you have hypertension?
- 2 What is the pressure on the plane?
- 3 Cardiac risk
- 4 Effect on blood vessels
- 5 How to prepare for a plane flight if you have hypertension?
- 6 Contraindications for flying
- 7 Videos on the topic
What are the dangers of flying if you have hypertension?
The generally accepted view among medical professionals is that flying on an airplane will not cause adverse effects if hypertension is fully controlled.
Air transport is safe for most patients with cardiovascular pathology.
People who travel with high blood pressure or severe heart failure are a different matter. Primarily, excluding the physical factors associated with climbing and acceleration, many people experience fear or anxiety.
A large amount of stress hormones (adrenaline, norepinephrine, vasopressin) are released into the bloodstream, which cause spasm of peripheral vessels and an increase in cardiac output. Due to a decrease in atmospheric pressure, a compensatory increase in blood flow in the pulmonary circle occurs, which increases the risk of developing pulmonary edema, especially in people suffering from heart failure.
Uncontrolled arterial hypertension causes damage to the vascular wall and contributes to the formation of blood clots of various locations.
When flying long distances, a person is forced to sit for a long time, as a result of which the venous outflow from the lower extremities is disrupted.
Thus, the formation of blood clots with their further migration is possible. If we add to all of the above individual autonomic reactions that prevent sufficient fluid intake and contribute to dehydration (nausea, vomiting), then we get a favorable background for the development of a vascular accident.
What is the pressure on the plane?
Modern aircraft are characterized by increased comfort; designers are trying to create conditions that are as close as possible to standard ones.
Even in pressurized airliners, a person experiences extreme stress.
During a standard flight at an altitude of 10 to 14 thousand meters, the pressure in the aircraft cabin is equal to that if you were in an open cockpit or on the top of a mountain at an altitude of 2000 to 2500 meters.
Using basic calculations, at a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius you experience a pressure of 570 mmHg, which is 190 mmHg less than at sea level. It is important to take into account the rapid change in gradient during takeoff and landing. Few people know that with a normal oxygen concentration in the cabin (21%), very low air humidity is maintained (from 10% to 20%).
An ordinary flight, which is well tolerated by young healthy people, can be a test for the blood vessels of a hypertensive patient.
Cardiac risk
The heart experiences increased stress during flight due to changes in vascular tone, increased pulmonary vascular resistance and myocardial ischemia.
Stress factors such as noise, vibration and fear increase the concentration of catecholamines, which causes tachycardia.
An increase in heart rate can trigger abnormal circulation of electrical impulses in the heart muscle, thereby triggering arrhythmia. Due to the short diastole, the myocardium experiences oxygen deficiency, which may result in the development of an attack of ischemia and even a heart attack.
If a person suffers from chronic left ventricular failure, spasm of the pulmonary vessels can lead to pulmonary edema.
Effect on blood vessels
On high altitude atmospheric pressure and oxygen concentration decrease in environment. The body tries to compensate for these fluctuations by spasming peripheral blood vessels and redirecting blood to vital organs. Thus, blood pressure and heart rate increase.
Thrombus in a vessel
Reduced blood flow in the lower extremities and pelvic organs promotes the formation of blood clots, which can migrate and cause blockage of the pulmonary artery.
This most serious and potentially fatal condition can be prevented by drinking enough fluids and taking short walks around the cabin every 2 hours.
How to prepare for a plane flight if you have hypertension?
If you are planning to travel by plane, you must fulfill a number of prerequisites that will help prevent complications:
- proper nutrition. Avoid salty foods. It is ideal to prepare a suitable dish at home and take it with you. It can be lean meat or fish, vegetables or fruits. You can ask the guide for a low-salt lunch or snack. Drink enough fluids (water, juices);
- medicines. Strictly follow the medications prescribed by your doctor, do not forget to take them with you on your trip, including emergency medications for hypertensive crisis and angina pectoris (Farmadipine, Nitroglycerin);
- visit your doctor. Listen to the recommendations regarding the flight, perhaps the doctor will prescribe laboratory and instrumental tests (ECG, general blood and urine tests, lipid profile);
- sleep and rest. On the eve of the flight, do not do heavy physical work, avoid overeating, drinking alcohol, sleep at least 8 hours;
- tonometer. Take with you on your trip a working blood pressure measuring device and spare batteries (if it is electronic).
If you feel unwell during the flight, seek assistance from the accompanying staff. During the flight, get up and walk around the cabin for 10 minutes every 2 hours, this way you prevent excessive blood stasis in the legs and the formation of blood clots.
Avoid stress; if you feel fear, it is acceptable to use sedatives. Do not focus on your arterial hypertension, do not think that it can become an obstacle to travel. Prepare thoroughly, but don't overdo it.
Contraindications for flying
There is a fairly wide range of contraindications for traveling by air.
For informational purposes, below are presented not only cases that relate to arterial hypertension and cardiac pathology:
- severe respiratory failure with shortness of breath at rest;
- unstable angina;
- pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum;
- gastrointestinal bleeding;
- severe anemia - hemoglobin less than 75 g/l;
- uncontrolled arrhythmia and cardiac conduction disturbances (atrioventricular block, stage 3);
- severe congestive heart failure;
- period after myocardial infarction - most experts agree that the period of 21 days after illness is an absolute contraindication to flying;
- deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities until adequate preventive measures are taken (anticoagulant therapy or surgical treatment);
- pregnancy period is more than 36 weeks, also during the entire third trimester, if there is a history of premature birth or miscarriage;
- within 10 days after surgery on the abdominal organs (appendicitis, cholecystitis) and 3-4 weeks during thoracic surgery (lungs, coronary vessels, heart).
Any indication can be absolute or relative in a given situation. Always consult your doctor before traveling and inform him of the type of transport you plan to use.
Video on the topic
About the effect of high and low atmospheric pressure on hypertensive patients in the video:
The safest type of transport will be a comfortable and reliable companion for a hypertensive patient only with the right approach. Following the recommendations when preparing for a flight, a preliminary medical examination and careful monitoring of blood pressure will make your trip absolutely harmless.
The information on the website is for reference and general information, collected from publicly available sources and cannot serve as a basis for making a decision on the use of medications in the course of treatment.
website
And we also have
The holiday season is approaching and many of us are going on vacation to warm countries.
As summer approaches, this topic is becoming more and more relevant, and for many, the thought of an upcoming air flight causes heart palpitations, because some people experience aerophobia (fear of flying on an airplane) and these feelings, or rather their anticipation, overshadow the desire to relax away from home .
If you are a “heart sufferer” or a person whose blood pressure regularly rises and your heart often hurts, the information presented in this article will help you endure the flight with the least strain on your heart and blood vessels.
This article will talk about how to protect your heart and blood vessels during an air flight, as well as during the first days of your vacation in exotic countries.
How do air travel affect the heart?
During a flight, the pressure in the aircraft cabin is approximately equal to the pressure at an altitude of 2500 m above sea level. When atmospheric pressure decreases, the amount of oxygen in the aircraft cabin drops - this is a major risk factor for high blood pressure, hypertensive crisis and the development of a heart attack.
One way or another, everyone feels the pressure drops in the aircraft cabin, but for people with a weak heart, the flight can end in a “cardiovascular accident.”
A sharp drop in atmospheric pressure and a decrease in oxygen concentration in the aircraft cabin is observed already at an altitude of 3000m, and during long flights the aircraft gains greater altitude, up to 11000m, which sharply reduces the flow of oxygen into the blood - this is very dangerous!
Some, even healthy people, and especially people suffering from heart disease (coronary disease, angina attacks, previous myocardial infarction, vascular atherosclerosis and hypertension), may need additional oxygen inhalation.
But! Unfortunately, not all planes have oxygen bags on board, because many airlines prohibit taking oxygen on board. Extra oxygen carried on board an aircraft is explosive, especially on a long flight at high altitude.
What to do?
- Before flying and booking tickets, check whether there is an oxygen inhaler (oxygen bag) in the aircraft cabin.
- If you order a voucher, tour, etc. V travel agency, ask the tour operator: Do they have such a service during the flight and can it be ordered?
- There is another option. 3 - 4 days before departure, order oxygen inhalation service. The order is made by a doctor who issues a certificate stating that you need or may require additional oxygen during the flight.
- For a smoother flight, take 1 Validol tablet under your tongue before landing, and a second tablet before takeoff. While validol is in your mouth, you will be calmer and you will not need lollipops to relieve your ears while the plane is climbing.
- People suffering from angina pectoris are advised to take 70 mg of aspirin and 1 tablet of nitroglycerin to avoid a possible heart attack.
- For people who have had a myocardial infarction within 6 months after the illness, air travel is prohibited in order to avoid a heart attack and the development of a second heart attack.
- Before planting, drink 40 drops of valerian or corvalol. This will relieve the fear of flying, reduce heart palpitations, relax and calm you.
- During the flight, you need to distract yourself: talk, read magazines, your favorite book, do crossword puzzles, etc.
How do air flights affect blood vessels?
Any flight, even the shortest one, is a limitation of mobility.
The longer we sit motionless, the greater the load on the vessels of the legs. At this time, blood circulation in the lower extremities slows down, the blood becomes more viscous, the blood vessels narrow, the legs swell and begin to hurt. And all this against the backdrop of pressure changes in the aircraft cabin. In such a situation, the risk of vascular thrombosis (blockage of a vessel with a blood clot) increases.
What to do?
- Do not cross your legs under any circumstances (this will compress the blood vessels and cause them to suffer even more).
- Do not keep your legs in a bent position for more than 1 hour, do not put them under you (this significantly impairs blood circulation and increases the load on the blood vessels of the legs).
- The legs should be in a straight position for as long as possible - this improves blood flow.
- Move your legs.
- Every 30 minutes, get up and walk around the salon.
- When ordering a ticket, ask to be given a seat not at the window, but at the aisle. Sitting near the aisle, you will be able to straighten your legs, bend and unbend them. You will move more often, get up and not disturb the people sitting next to you.
Often, after a long flight, we find ourselves in hot countries and try to give in to the temptations offered as quickly as possible. Instead of rest, our body is bombarded with new challenges and a load that is three times greater than the daily one.
The new climate has its own air, its own water, its own food and its own time. All this disrupts the usual biorhythms by which a person lives at home. The heart, blood vessels and the body as a whole, in such a situation, can be seriously indignant and will force you to pay attention to yourself.
Blood pressure may rise, dizziness, headache, feeling of shortness of breath, absent-mindedness, causeless irritability, disturbance of stool and sleep may appear.
Therefore, the first 2 - 3 days need to be spent in habituation (adaptation) mode. After the flight, you should get a good night's sleep, eat delicious food and go out into the fresh air to explore the surroundings.
A couple of days will be enough for your body to get used to it and not let you down, but to help you relax in body and soul!
Be healthy! Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
When you fly an airplane at low altitudes, the pressure inside the cabin does not change at all. But you all probably know that in the mountains at an altitude of 3-4 thousand meters you can already feel changes in pressure and atmosphere. And if you rise even higher, for example, to an altitude of 5-6 thousand meters above sea level, then the changes will be felt even more strongly. Now imagine that planes fly at an altitude of about 10 kilometers, and there the pressure and difference in atmosphere is even more pronounced than at the very top. high mountain peace. In this article we will briefly tell you about the atmosphere and pressure inside the aircraft.
Aircraft pressure
The pressure inside aircraft that transport passengers at altitudes of more than 2 thousand meters is maintained artificially. For this purpose, special devices are used, compressors, which literally pump up pressure. Therefore, passengers do not feel a significant difference between onboard pressure and overboard pressure. At the same time, it is much higher overboard, and higher than both onboard and what was on the ground during takeoff. If the pressure were not maintained, most passengers would not be able to reach their destination.
This system uses polymers to operate. This is one of the cheapest ways to maintain pressure inside an aircraft. If you need specific prices, you can find them on specialized message boards. For example, http://proplast.ru/ bulletin board for the polymer market has a large database of advertisements. Of course, the very principle of operation of the compressor is so complex that it simply cannot be considered in a short review article.
Atmosphere
You probably remember about oxygen masks? We hope that you have never had them, but they are on every plane for a reason. If the cabin depressurizes, the passengers simply won’t be able to breathe. There will be panic on board, and at this time even fewer passengers will be able to breathe in the rarefied atmosphere.
It is physically difficult for people with hypertension and acute heart disease to fly on an airplane, although it is considered one of the most comfortable and fastest Vehicle For long trips. Shaking and turbulence at high pressure cause dizziness, noise in the head, weakness, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Before buying a plane ticket, hypertensive patients should take into account all the risks so that the long-awaited trip does not turn into torture.
Does your blood pressure go up or down on an airplane?
An intense negative effect on the human circulatory and cardiovascular system occurs at the beginning and end of the flight during sudden changes in atmospheric pressure - a rapid decrease during takeoff and an increase during landing. Despite the regulation and maintenance of constant temperature, humidity and air circulation in the cabins modern aircraft, even healthy passengers have unpleasant sensations.
Enter your pressure
Move the sliders
When an airplane gains altitude, passengers' blood pressure rises. This is due to the difference between the external air pressure and the pressure in the tympanic cavity of the ear.
Constriction of blood vessels rapidly increases blood pressure.
In pressurized aircraft cabins, reduced pressure, which is 75% of normal atmospheric pressure, leads to a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood, and in severe cases, to hypoxia or, in other words, to oxygen starvation. First of all, the brain and myocardium react to a decrease in oxygen concentration in the air. Hemodynamics in the legs gradually worsen, blood viscosity increases, the lumen of blood vessels narrows, which often provokes increased pressure, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, abnormal heart rhythm, and increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. An oxygen bag or inhaler, which is equipped on the planes of some airlines, helps against such conditions.
Can someone with hypertension fly?
To minimize risks, you need to take into account in advance the possible deterioration of your health on board the aircraft. The danger of flying depends on the degree and stage of hypertension. If you feel normal and have a stable course of the disease, you can fly, but it is important to strictly follow the recommendations of your doctor. Flights are contraindicated for hypertensive patients who suffer from other diseases, namely:
- aortic aneurysm;
- pericarditis;
- ischemic disease;
- congenital heart defects;
- angina pectoris;
- respiratory tract diseases;
- leukocytosis;
- anemia.
Increased stress on the heart causes pain.
The younger and healthier a person is, the easier the blood vessels cope with overloads at altitude; accordingly, the longer a person suffers from hypertension, the worse the blood vessels react to physical activity. The elasticity of blood vessels can also be affected by high level cholesterol, which reduces the ability of blood vessels and heart muscle to quickly respond to changes in pressure associated with acceleration, takeoff and landing. In such situations, hypertensive crises, heart rhythm disturbances, and pain in the heart area occur.
Use of medications
Turbulence and low oxygen levels increase stress on the heart, causing it to work harder. This leads to a sharp increase in blood pressure, which can trigger a heart attack and even stroke. Therefore, it is advisable for people with high blood pressure to take antihypertensive medications before flying.
There is a first aid kit on board the plane, but it is better to take with you medications prescribed by a doctor that will help stabilize your condition and quickly bring yourself back to normal. Medications should always be at hand, so you need to take them hand luggage on the plane. If you feel unwell and have a headache, it is advisable to try to relax, try to fall asleep or at least take a nap. This will make the flight faster and easier.
