Lung disease & Air travelling

Chronic lung disease & air travel

• When an aircraft is cruising, cabin air has a partial oxygen pressure that is approximately 20-25% less than at sea level.
• This presents no problem to healthy people who, when breathing cabin air, will have an arterial oxygen (PaO2) of approximately 70 mmHg and haemoglobin saturation of 90%.
• However, in some medical conditions this may be sufficient to produce tissue hypoxia.
• The patient's exercise tolerance provides a guide to their fitness to fly.
• Dyspnoea at rest is generally a contraindication.
• If a person can climb a flight of 15 stairs and walk 50 - 100 metres without symptoms they should not experience problems during the flight.
• People with poor exercise tolerance need further assessment preferably in consultation with a respiratory physician.
• Further assessment involves respiratory function tests and measurement of arterial blood gases.
• If PaO2 is more than 70 mmHg then supplementary oxygen is not needed.
• The arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) is also important as supplemental oxygen may reduce respiratory drive in hypercapneic patients.
• People with lung disease should avoid alcohol during the flight as this may worsen hypoxia.