What is the atmospheric pressure on the plane. In an airplane, blood pressure rises or falls. Who can't run

It has been proven 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 longer the need to go to supermarkets or attend lectures at a university.

Thus, modern man moves little and eats abundantly. 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, it becomes necessary to use the services of airlines. In the medical literature, there is a lot of information about whether it is possible to fly an airplane with hypertension. All of it is of a heterogeneous nature and sometimes raises doubts.

This article will briefly review the basics of the effect 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 is the danger of flying with hypertension?
2 What is the pressure on the plane?
3 Heart risk
4 Effect on blood vessels
5 How to prepare for an airplane flight with hypertension?
6 Contraindications for flying
7 Related Videos

What is the danger of flying with hypertension?

The conventional wisdom among medical professionals is that flying on an airplane will not cause unwanted consequences if hypertension is fully controlled.

Air travel is safe for most patients with cardiovascular disease.

People who travel with high blood pressure or severe heart failure are another matter. In the first place, when the physical factors associated with climb and acceleration are ruled out, many people experience fear or anxiety.

A large amount of stress hormones (adrenaline, norepinephrine, vasopressin) are released into the bloodstream, which cause peripheral vasospasm and an increase in cardiac output. Due to a decrease in atmospheric pressure, a compensatory increase in blood flow in the small 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 localization.

When flying long distances, a person is forced to sit for a long time, as a result of which venous outflow from the lower extremities is impaired.

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 vascular catastrophe.

What is the pressure on the plane?

Modern aircraft are distinguished by increased comfort; designers are trying to create conditions that are as close as possible to standard ones.

Even in sealed airliners, a person experiences extreme stress.

During a standard flight at an altitude of 10 to 14 thousand meters, the pressure in the cabin is the same as if you were in an open cockpit or on the top of a mountain with an altitude of 2,000 to 2,500 meters.

Using elementary calculations, at 22 degrees Celsius, you experience a pressure of 570 mm Hg, which is 190 mm Hg less than at sea level. It is important to take into account the rapid gradient change during takeoff and landing. Few people know that at 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 hypertensive blood vessels.

Heart risk

During the flight, the heart experiences increased stress due to changes in vascular tone, an increase in the resistance of the pulmonary vessels and myocardial ischemia.

Stressful 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, thus provoking arrhythmias. Due to the short diastole, the myocardium is deficient in oxygen, as a result of which an ischemic attack and even a heart attack may develop.

If a person suffers from chronic left ventricular failure, pulmonary vasospasm can lead to pulmonary edema.

Effect on blood vessels

At high altitudes, atmospheric pressure and oxygen concentration in the environment decrease. The body tries to compensate for these fluctuations by spasm of peripheral vessels and redirecting blood to vital organs. Thus, blood pressure and heart rate increase.

Blood clot in a vessel

Reduced blood flow in the lower extremities and in the pelvic organs contributes to 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 an airplane flight with hypertension?

If you are going to travel by plane, you must fulfill a number of prerequisites that will prevent complications:

proper nutrition... Avoid salty foods. Ideal to prepare a suitable meal at home and take it with you. It can be lean meat or fish, vegetables or fruits. You can ask the guide for lunch or a reduced salt snack. Drink plenty of fluids (water, juices);
medicines... Strictly follow the medication prescribed by your doctor, do not forget to take them with you on your trip, including emergency remedies for hypertensive crisis and angina pectoris (Pharmadipin, Nitroglycerin);
visit your doctor... Listen to recommendations regarding the flight, perhaps the doctor will prescribe laboratory and instrumental studies (ECG, general analysis of blood and urine, 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 device for measuring blood pressure and spare batteries (if electronic).

If you feel unwell during the flight, ask the accompanying staff for help. During the flight, get up and walk around the cabin for 10 minutes every 2 hours, so you prevent excess blood stasis in the legs and the formation of blood clots.

Avoid stress if you are afraid, using sedatives is acceptable. Do not dwell on your arterial hypertension, do not think that it can become an obstacle to travel. Prepare carefully, but don't overdo it.

Contraindications for flights

There is a wide range of contraindications for travel by air.

For informational purposes, below are presented not only cases that relate to arterial hypertension and cardiac pathology:

severe respiratory failure with dyspnea at rest;
unstable angina;
pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum;
gastrointestinal bleeding;
severe anemia - hemoglobin less than 75 g / l;
uncontrolled arrhythmia and cardiac conduction disorders (atrioventricular block 3 tbsp.);
severe congestive heart failure;
the period after myocardial infarction - most experts agree that the period of 21 days after the illness is an absolute contraindication to flying;
deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities until adequate preventive measures are taken (anticoagulant therapy or surgery);
gestational age more than 36 weeks, also during the entire third trimester, if there was a history of premature birth or miscarriages;
within 10 days after surgery on the abdominal organs (appendicitis, cholecystitis) and 3-4 weeks with thoracic surgery (lungs, coronary vessels, heart).

Any indication can be absolute or relative in a given situation. Always consult your doctor before traveling, inform him about the mode of transport you plan to use.

Is your blood pressure going 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 surges 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 modern aircraft cockpits, even healthy passengers have unpleasant sensations.

Indicate your pressure

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As the plane gains altitude, the blood pressure of the passengers rises. This is due to the difference between external air pressure and pressure in the tympanic cavity of the ear.
The vasoconstriction rapidly increases the pressure.
In sealed aircraft cabins, the reduced pressure, which is 75% of the 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 the concentration of oxygen in the air. Hemodynamics in the legs gradually deteriorate, blood viscosity increases, the lumen of blood vessels narrows, which often provokes an increase in pressure, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, heart rhythm failure, and increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. An oxygen bag or an inhaler, which is equipped with the planes of certain airlines, helps against such conditions.

Can hypertensive patients fly?
In order to minimize the risks, it is necessary to take into account in advance the possible deterioration of health on board the aircraft. The danger of flying depends on the degree and stage of hypertension. With normal health and 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.

The increased load on the heart causes pain.
The younger and healthier a person is, the easier it is for the vessels to cope with overloads at altitude, respectively, the longer a person has hypertension, the worse the vessels react to physical activity. Vascular elasticity can also be affected by high cholesterol levels, which reduce the ability of blood vessels and the heart muscle to quickly respond to pressure changes associated with acceleration, takeoff and landing. In such situations, hypertensive crises, cardiac arrhythmias, pain in the region of the heart occur.

Use of medicines
Turbulence and low oxygen levels increase the stress on the heart, making it work harder. This leads to a sharp rise in blood pressure, which can trigger a heart attack and even stroke. Therefore, people with high blood pressure should take antihypertensive drugs before flying.
There is a first-aid kit on board, but it is better to take with you medications prescribed by your doctor, which help stabilize the condition and quickly bring yourself back to normal. Medications should always be at hand, so you need to take them in your hand luggage on the plane. If you feel unwell and 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.

Imagine that you are comfortably seated in an airplane seat and enjoying the flight, dreaming of an upcoming vacation on the seashore or meeting your loved ones. And in order to make you feel comfortable and comfortable, just like on the ground, special systems are provided in the airliners that are responsible for the air quality in the cabin.

Passenger aircraft fly at an altitude of 9 to 12 thousand meters. It all depends on the model, since each of them has its own “ideal” height, at which the liner consumes the minimum amount of fuel and experiences little resistance. After the plane has taken off and gained altitude, it finds itself in atmospheric air, the parameters of which are very different from those at the surface. The air that is in the cabin is enough for about 15-20 minutes of flight, and then the oxygen content in it drops and it becomes impossible for them to breathe. But in order to add fresh air to the passenger compartment, it will not be possible to simply open the hatch for ventilation. The fact is that the oxygen content at such an altitude decreases to 7-8%, while at the bottom this figure is 21%. And the atmospheric pressure overboard (the second no less important air indicator) is reduced to 170-250 mm. rt. Art., instead of the usual 740-760 mm. rt. Art.

But with an increase in altitude, even with a constant percentage of air components, the partial pressure of oxygen drops, which leads to a general decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood of a person, and indeed of any other living creature. Therefore, it is not enough just to enrich the atmospheric air with oxygen, it is necessary to bring the pressure back to normal.

To ensure comfortable conditions, a special air conditioning system works in all airliners. The system draws in air that is overboard and compresses it using compressors. Due to this, the oxygen density in it increases to acceptable values. At the same time, the temperature parameters are equalized to a comfortable level.

In terms of pressure, the pressure inside the airliner is kept lower than that of the airport. As a rule, it is 600-650 mm. rt. Art., which corresponds to an altitude of 1300-1800 meters above sea level. It is believed that this is the lower limit of atmospheric air pressure that is comfortable for a person.

But the air conditioning system has one significant drawback: the air entering the cabin is too dry. Thinned in the atmosphere, it contains less moisture, and when delivered to the salon it is additionally dried. This is done so that ice does not freeze in the air conditioning system pipes, which can lead to its blockage. Therefore, some passengers experience constant thirst during the flight, and also complain of dry eyes and throat.

Traveling by air liners is not only convenient, with their help you can quickly get to distant countries. However, for a certain category of people, moving with their help can be life-threatening. This primarily applies to patients with hypertensive blood pressure and other heart ailments.

Can hypertensive patients fly by plane? This topic is relevant for many patients with this disease. What needs to be done so that the flight for a person with hypertension does not bring complications and negative consequences?

The employment of modern people forces them to move quickly over long distances, for this purpose air transport is ideal. However, the flight is not inherent in the nature of the human body, therefore it often causes a stressful state in a person.

People with certain pathologies, in particular, the digestive and cardiovascular systems, are at risk. The fact is, the higher the aircraft rises above sea level, the dramatically changes in atmospheric pressure, the composition of the microclimate and air. As a result of such dramatic changes, the body begins to produce a stress hormone, the so-called adrenaline, which provokes:

Increased heart rate.
Increased blood pressure.
Speeding up metabolic processes.

In addition, during the flight, all passengers, without exception, have a general condition - ear congestion, which lasts from two minutes to twelve hours. Why does this phenomenon occur? Experts explain its appearance by a significant difference between the pressure in the cabin of the aircraft and in the middle ear of a person. When the board is at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters above sea level, the air pressure inside and outside the tympanic membrane rises to the maximum level, which provokes this syndrome, which from the point of view of medicine is defined as ear popping.

Based on the above, we can say that if a person has any inconsistencies in terms of health, especially on the part of the cardiovascular system, it is advisable to choose a more optimal mode of transport, for example, a train, a car.

Can I fly an airplane under high pressure? There is no unambiguous answer to this question, and the success of the flight depends on the degree of illness, blood pressure indicators, and the general health of the hypertensive patient. Especially carefully it is worth approaching this issue if the patient has reached old age.

At an advanced stage of the disease, after suffering a hypertensive crisis and a stroke or surgery, doctors are categorically against flying. It follows from this that flying on an airplane with hypertension is allowed only if you feel well and with the permission of a doctor.

For hypertension, in addition to high blood pressure, the following clinic is characteristic:

Headache in the occipital and temporal region of the head.
Soreness and burning in the region of the heart.
Unpleasant discomfort.
and numbness in the limbs.
Nausea with vomiting.
Dizziness.
Increased fear.
Panic and excitement.
Facial redness, puffiness.
Excessive sweating.

The above symptoms at the time of travel by plane can manifest themselves with double intensity, which can provoke serious complications:

Hypertensive crisis.
Heart attack.
Fatal outcome.

The high probability of developing such a clinical situation is explained by a sharp drop in atmospheric pressure at the time of takeoff and landing of the liner. When he gains altitude, the volume of oxygen present on board begins to fall rapidly, which provokes a rapid deterioration in the health of the hypertensive patient. As soon as the plane begins to move along the runway, certain painful processes are observed in the human body, which negatively affect the state of health.

What happens to the pressure of a person on a plane Even people with quite good health can hardly tolerate pressure surges at the time of flight, they have:

Headache.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Congestion in the ears.

Potential Heart Risk

When the plane reaches an altitude of 3 thousand meters, the amount of oxygen is significantly reduced; during long intercontinental flights, airliners rise to an altitude of 10 thousand meters and above. For hypertensive patients, this is a very serious situation, since the oxygen content can drop to a critical level.

The danger lies in wait for those patients who have a history of:

Atherosclerosis.
Angina pectoris.
Ischemia.
Heart attack.
Stroke.

The so-called oxygen bags help to transfer the reduced oxygen level - they provide additional ventilation to the lungs during critical moments of the flight. However, many airlines have abandoned these devices due to the high explosiveness of oxygen.

Effect of flight on blood vessels

The vessels of the circulatory system also feel an excessive load during an air flight, because a person is forced to be in a sitting position for a long time, but most of all go to the veins in the legs. Due to low hemodynamics, there is a narrowing of the vascular lumen, which in turn provokes an increase in blood pressure. For hypertensive patients, such a pathological process is dangerous by clogging of veins and capillaries with a thrombus.

In any case, flying in an airplane or helicopter for people with high pressure is always a big risk that should not be forgotten. In a situation where it is not possible to use alternative transport, then the advisability of traveling by plane must be discussed with your doctor. The specialist will tell you what needs to be done to avoid possible complications.

When travel by air is contraindicated

There are a number of pathological factors in which helicopter and air travel is strictly prohibited. For patients with a recent heart attack and stroke, flying by plane is absolutely prohibited, and after a hypertensive crisis, it is allowed only six months or a year after the past exacerbation.

If during the operation, shunts, heart rate regulators or pacemakers were installed in a person, then this can also cause a ban on air travel.

The risk list includes people who have a history of:

Thrombophlebitis.
Pulmonary hypertension.
Pneumonia.
Bronchial asthma.
Overweight.
Hypotension.
Mental disorders.
Inability to cope with panic attacks.
Heart attacks in the past.
Recent surgical treatment.
Deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities.

It is necessary to fly with caution for people with pressure problems if they are diagnosed with the following diseases:

Atherosclerosis.
Ischemia.
Angina pectoris.
Diabetes.
Prolonged respiratory ailments.
Other diseases of the endocrine system.
Decreased or increased blood clotting.

Doctors advise against traveling by plane for pregnant women with hypertension. The flight can cause complications, which is dangerous for both the expectant mother and the unborn baby.

Often when asked whether it is possible to fly in an airplane with high pressure, doctors answer negatively, but there are situations when the airplane remains the only means of transport. For example, a person urgently needs to get treatment in another country.

There are a number of rules that can help a hypotensive patient survive the flight with minimal damage to their health and properly prepare for the trip.

Flight preparation

What should be done before the expected date of travel by plane? Before buying a plane ticket, people with pressure problems need to check their health, which will help to find out if the body can tolerate the trip. This will require:

Daily monitoring of blood pressure.
Systematic pulse control.
Ultrasound of the heart.
Blood sugar test.
Clinical blood test.

If the state of health is satisfactory and the doctor does not prohibit moving by plane, you can prepare for the flight, taking into account the following recommendations:

Event	Description
The presence of oxygen cushions in the cabin	Preference is given to those airlines whose airliners are equipped with oxygen bags or inhalers. When ordering a ticket through a travel agency, be sure to clarify this nuance. In some cases, this service can be ordered as an additional order. You can order an oxygen cushion several days before your scheduled flight. The basis for placing an order is a medical recommendation or prescription.
Chair location	When booking a seat on the plane, give preference to the seat located near the aisle. This allows you to get up more often without disturbing your neighbor.
Diet change	A week before the trip, switch to a low-calorie diet, fatty foods do not have the best effect on the vascular walls. It is imperative to avoid excessive salt intake, thereby reducing the risk of developing puffiness after the end of the trip.
Lifestyle change	Walk more in the fresh air,. Do not forget to get enough sleep, sleep should be sound and healthy.
Preparation of medicines	It is imperative to put drugs for hypertension in the travel bag, which the patient takes daily, and a small pillow that can be placed under the lower back - it will help normalize blood flow and maintain a comfortable body position.
An accompanying person	You should not fly alone in case of hypertension; you must take an accompanying family member with you, who can support in case of deterioration of health.

With regard to taking medicines, you can adhere to the following scheme:

Patients with angina pectoris one hour before the flight should take an unscheduled dose (at the same time) of one tablet of nitroglycerin and aspirin. The medications you take can lower your risk of heart attack.
30 minutes before the planned flight, take any sedative with an antispasmodic or hypotensive effect (corvalol, tincture of valerian or motherwort, heart medications that lower blood pressure or other sedatives). On a note, corvalol is prohibited in many countries, so you cannot take it with you, an alternative option is motherwort tincture.
Immediately before takeoff, place a menthol or validol tablet under your tongue. These medications can help reduce and relieve anxiety while traveling.

Activities in the aircraft cabin

For most people in good health, fear and anxiety begin to increase during the flight. Tincture of valerian or motherwort will help to eliminate these negative psychological emotions. A good alternative would be through headphones or a book with an interesting plot, watching a light movie - they will help to distract from the pressure of negative thoughts.

When traveling by plane, the following recommendations, presented in the table, will help to avoid complications in health:

Also helpful are the following do's and don'ts on board:

If it is permitted by the conditions of the flight, you can periodically go up (1-2 times per hour) and take a walk in the cabin. Warm-ups in a chair will also be useful - wiggling arms and legs, turning your neck.
In no case should you take blood pressure medications while traveling. They can cause severe weakness due to a strong drop in blood pressure from being at a high altitude.
To prevent shortness of breath, which can turn into choking, you need to breathe evenly and deeply, and oxygen cocktails will help to anticipate its appearance.
In no way should you suppress anxiety and anxiety with alcoholic beverages.
Do not drink coffee, energy drinks, which may increase blood pressure. The best option is still water (it thins the blood and prevents blood clots).
In case of a sharp deterioration in health, notify the crew of the aircraft, which is trained to provide emergency assistance.

But you can cope with these misfortunes if you properly prepare for air travel.

In flight, it can be a problem:

Pressure drops... Even in the most comfortable aircraft, conditions for the human body are close to extreme. When flying at an altitude of 10-14 kilometers, the pressure in the passenger compartment is maintained as if you were at an altitude of 1500 to 2500 meters, which inevitably leads to low blood oxygen saturation. In addition, in the cabins of modern aircraft, the air humidity is usually very low - from 10 to 20%.

Who will be in trouble: primarily for passengers suffering from chronic cardiovascular and broncho-pulmonary diseases.

Air travel can be torment for patients with acute and chronic sinusitis.

You cannot board an airplane with a stuffy nose, otherwise, under the influence of pressure drops, you can earn exudative otitis media, and in especially severe cases, even a ruptured eardrum. Especially when the plane descends.

Air travel is contraindicated for:

recent myocardial infarction; unstable angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, unregulated hypertension, uncontrolled ventricular or supraventricular tachycardia, severe heart valve disease, accompanied by symptoms of circulatory failure; unstable bronchial asthma, pneumothorax; acute middle ear infection; retinal detachment and severe glaucoma; severe forms of anemia; pregnancy after 36 weeks; recently undergone surgery.Output: Before buying a plane ticket, carry out a clinical examination, paying particular attention to the functionality of the myocardium and the resource of the lungs (their vital capacity).

If the amount of air inhaled and the diffusion capacity of the lungs are less than 50% of the expected, it is better to damage it with air travel.

If you still need to fly, stock up on vital drugs. All but the mildest cases of asthma should take an oral steroid with them in an emergency. In other cases, it may be advisable to use oxygen during flight.

People with acute or chronic sinusitis should take an anti-congestion aerosol with them on the flight to help equalize the pressure in the sinus. Spraying the nasal cavity with saline is also useful due to the low humidity in the cabin.

Change of time zones... Hourly acclimatization is not an easy test. Insomnia, headaches, stomach aches - this is just an incomplete list of those troubles that fall to the lot of those who have to cross one or more time zones. The hardest part is for those who fly to the east: in this case, the biological clock of a person is significantly behind local time. In order to recover, the body in this case will take up to three to four weeks.

Who will be in trouble: patients with pneumonia, bronchial asthma, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension and peptic ulcer disease suffer most from jet lag.

Exit: in case of moving from east to west, it is better to take a morning flight. At the same time, it is better to refrain from sleeping on the plane by taking a tonic. Then you can dive into the arms of Morpheus in the evening local time.

When flying from west to east, it is better to guess at evening hours and make every effort to have a good rest during the flight.

It is also advisable to have a two-week break between long flights (there and back) - then it will be easier for you to protect yourself from the troubles associated with changing time zones.

Disorders of venous circulation... Sitting for many hours without moving leads to an increase in hydrostatic pressure and a slowdown in blood flow in the veins, and even its stoppage (stasis).

In turn, stagnation of blood in the veins of the legs, caused by a prolonged restrained posture or compression of the popliteal vein by the edge of the seat, can cause edema and lead to the development of deep vein thrombosis, fraught with sudden death from thromboembolism (blockage of the pulmonary artery) when a blood clot is torn off from a "familiar" place ... According to international statistics, every hour in different airports around the world one person dies in this way.

Who will be in trouble: suffering from varicose veins, people with high blood viscosity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases.

Output: To prevent blood clots during the flight, wear compression hosiery (stockings, knee-highs or tights), as well as comfortable loose clothing made from natural materials and comfortable shoes.

Change your position from time to time or walk around the cabin (every 30 minutes), choosing (if possible) an aisle seat. Drink water often (but not alcoholic drinks, soda, or coffee).

Kinetosis - "air sickness". It is manifested by dizziness, pallor, cold sweat, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting.

Who will be in trouble: prone to motion sickness, children and the elderly.

Output: Take an anti-motion sickness medication about 30 minutes before your flight. People who are susceptible to motion sickness are also advised to avoid excess fluids, gassing food and sit closer to the wing of the aircraft, if possible.