Flying And Lung Disease
- In a plane, PiO2 can fall to equivalent 15% oxygen at sea level.
- In healthy people, fall in SaO2 around 5% is well tolerated.
- Patients with severely decreased capacity (ex tolerance <50m, SaO2 <95%) can have trouble, and may need oxygen supplementation.
- Consider a high altitude simulation test (HAST)
- Contraindications to flying (BTS):
- Infectious TB
- Pneumothorax with persisting air leak
- Major haemoptysis
- Usual O2 requirement >4L/min