Flying on an airplane may raise blood pressure in the lungs, especially for older people.
A new study from Oxford University found that the lower air pressure inside an airplane cabin can increase pressure in the pulmonary artery—the blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.
This could have important effects on flight safety, especially for passengers with certain health conditions.
The study was led by Dr. Thomas Smith from Oxford’s Aerospace Medicine Research Group. To simulate the flying experience, the research team used a special chamber that could change air pressure, called a hypobaric altitude chamber.
Healthy volunteers were placed inside, and the air pressure was gradually reduced to match the altitude levels experienced during a flight.
Most commercial airline cabins are pressurized to simulate an altitude between 5,000 and 8,000 feet. However, private planes sometimes fly without cabin pressure at altitudes as high as 10,000 feet or more.
In this study, the team reduced the chamber pressure to simulate altitudes of 6,000, 8,000, and 10,000 feet. They closely monitored the volunteers’ oxygen levels and pressure in their pulmonary arteries.
Dr. Smith explained that while it’s already known that oxygen levels drop slightly during flights, the new research showed that pressure in the lungs also rises in response to this change. This effect was stronger in older participants.
Although the increase in lung pressure doesn’t affect healthy people of any age, it might pose a risk to older passengers or people with health problems related to lung or heart function. In fact, older adults are more likely to be involved in flight diversions due to medical emergencies.
Dr. Smith said it’s still too early to know if this lung pressure increase directly causes some of those emergencies. However, the findings suggest it might be a contributing factor, and more research is needed to understand the connection.
These results also have important implications for people who are transferred by air for medical treatment. When a patient is flown on a plane, doctors aim to keep them as stable as possible.
Dr. Smith said he may now recommend providing extra oxygen during some flights, even when current guidelines don’t call for it. This could help lower the risk of problems during longer flights, especially for patients with heart or lung conditions.
The research team hopes to continue their work and see if their findings can help improve health checks before people fly. Better screening might help prevent more medical emergencies during flights.
The study offers a new look into how flying affects the body, especially for people who are older or have medical conditions. It’s another step toward safer and healthier air travel for everyone.
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