Pre-Flight Advisory for Heavy Snorers
Reported May 19, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may not be as fit to fly as they think.
Researchers in Sydney, Australia conducted the first ever study to test the effects of ventilation, oxygen and air pressure typical of commercial flights on people with severe OSA.
They did the testing in flight simulators that replicated oxygen and pressure levels ranging from 6,000 to 8,000 feet — the maximum pressure allowed even if the plane is actually at 30,000 feet.
Researchers discovered physiological stress and demand for oxygen increased in people with OSA, putting them at higher risk for in-flight cardiac problems than healthy people. The work they do to run the core range of body functions (heart, brain, lung) is much greater under cabin conditions, Leigh Seccombe, N.Sc., senior scientist at the Department of Thoracic Medicine at Concord Repatriation General Hospital in Sydney, was quoted as saying.
She noted that if the results of this study are typical, Half of the patients with OSA would require supplemental oxygen in-flight if current guidelines [for those with lung disease] are strictly followed.
The team felt it was important to look into the issue because of the increasing number of obese fliers — OSA is associated with obesity. Seccombe is part of a group working on a statement to guide respiratory physicians on what advice to give patients with OSA who will be flying.
SOURCE: American Thoracic Societys International Conference in Toronto, May 18, 2008