People over the age of 65 can experience problems with airplane pressures. At the usual flight altitudes of about 10 kilometers, the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli drops, and with it the oxygen saturation of the blood. The body has to compensate for this by breathing and pulse rate.
Seniors should therefore discuss with their doctor before flying whether an ECG, a lung function test and possibly a measurement of arterial blood gases is advisable. Those suffering from untreated cardiac insufficiency, recent heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias and severe hypertension (above 160/100 mmHg) should generally avoid air travel.
Breathe easy with asthma
Asthma and other lung diseases, on the other hand, “do not pose a significantly increased risk to air travelers,” as altitude physician Rainald Fischer of the University of Munich Hospital emphasizes. Provided that the condition has been stabilized by a doctor. Due to the dry air in the airplane, plenty of fluids should be drunk, and for some asthma patients – after consultation with the doctor – the intake of a betamimetic to expand the airways may be indicated.
Pregnant women and babies
Other than thrombosis, pregnant women need not be concerned about any special risk factors of flying. For example, most airlines allow flying even up to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Scientists cannot confirm the fear that long-haul flights increase the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.
Long-haul flights are not taboo for babies either. “However, mother and child should already have adjusted to each other for a few weeks,” advises pediatrician Ralf Bialek from the University Hospital in Tübingen. The best sedative during takeoff and landing is breastfeeding. And a 0.9 percent saline solution or an appropriate nasal spray helps prevent the baby’s sensitive nasal mucous membranes from drying out.
Infants often feel pressure in their ears when flying. This can be relieved by sucking pastilles – preferably sugar-free.
