Flying with chronic lung disease

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The response of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to air travel has been studied on a real flight.
The air in a commercial aircraft has less oxygen than normal because of the high altitude. This could cause problems for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who sometimes have to struggle for breath. But most of the evidence and guidelines on flying and COPD has involved experiments on the ground.

Researchers in Oslo, Norway, carried out a real flight study with 18 COPD patients and showed that they did, indeed, have a reduction in the oxygen in their blood. To compensate, their heart rate went up. However, they felt no discomfort - apart from one person who experienced severe breathlessness. The researchers conclude that there's no obvious reason why people with COPD should automatically be denied the convenience of flying. However, for long haul flights or in cases of severe illness, some degree of caution may be necessary.

Source
European Respiratory Journal April 2005