We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Pulmonary Artery Pressure Response to Simulated Air Travel in a Hypobaric Chamber.
- Authors
Turner, Brandon E.; Hodklnson, Peter D.; Tlmperley, Andrew C.; Smith, Thomas G.
- Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hypoxia-induced elevation in pulmonary artery pressure during air travel may contribute to the worldwide burden of in-flight medical emergencies. The pulmonary artery pressure response may be greater in older passengers, who are more likely to require flight diversion due to a medical event. Understanding these effects may ultimately improve the safety of air travel. METHODS: We studied 16 healthy volunteers, consisting of a younger group (aged < 25 yr) andan older group (aged > 60 yr). Using a hypobaric chamber, subjects undertook a 2-h simulated flight at the maximum cabin pressure altitude for commercial airline flights (8000 ft; 2438 m). Higher and lower altitudes within the aeromedical range were also explored. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) was assessed by Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: There was a progressive increase in sPAP which appeared to be biphasic, with a small initial increase and a larger subsequent rise. Overall, sPAP increased by 5 ± 1 mmHg from baseline to 35 ± 1 mmHg at 8000 ft, an Increase of 18%. The sPAP response to 8000 ft was greater in the older group than the younger group. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that pulmonary artery pressure increases during simulated air travel, and provides preliminary evidence that this response is greater in older people. Advancing age may increase in-flight susceptibility to adverse pulmonary vascular responses in passengers, aircrew, and aeromedical patients.
- Subjects
HYPOBARIC chambers; AIR travel; FLIGHT simulators; HYPOXEMIA; MEDICAL emergencies; AVIATION medicine
- Publication
Aerospace Medicine & Human Performance, 2015, Vol 86, Issue 6, p529
- ISSN
2375-6314
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3357/AMHP.4177.2015