Avoid alcohol during long flights.
A recent investigation brings to light concerning findings regarding the impact of alcohol consumption during air travel, particularly on lengthy flights, on heart health. The study underscores that the combination of alcohol intake and cabin pressure at cruising altitude could pose risks to cardiovascular well-being, even for individuals who are young and in good health. According to the research, the effects of this combination become more pronounced with increased alcohol consumption, particularly among older passengers or those with existing health issues.
In this study, researchers conducted experiments with participants aged 18 to 40, dividing them into two groups. One group underwent testing in a sleep lab under standard air pressure conditions, while the other experienced simulated cabin pressure at cruising altitude in an altitude chamber. Within each group, half of the participants were administered a quantity of vodka equivalent to two cans of beer or two glasses of wine. The results of the study revealed a notable decrease in blood oxygen levels to just over 85% and a compensatory rise in heart rate to an average of 88 beats per minute among those who consumed alcohol in conjunction with cabin pressure.
In comparison, participants in the altitude chamber who refrained from alcohol maintained blood oxygen levels slightly above 88% and a lower heart rate of just under 73 beats per minute. Furthermore, participants in the sleep lab who consumed alcohol exhibited blood oxygen levels just below 95% and a heart rate just under 77 beats per minute, whereas those who abstained from alcohol had blood oxygen levels just under 96% and a heart rate just under 64 beats per minute.
The study, detailed in the journal Thorax, underscores the strain that the combination of alcohol and hypobaric conditions can exert on the cardiac system, potentially exacerbating symptoms in individuals with cardiac or pulmonary ailments. The team of researchers, led by senior investigator Eva-Maria Elmhorst from the German Institute of Aerospace Medicine at Aachen University, emphasizes the importance of informing medical practitioners, passengers, and airline crew about these potential risks. They advocate for potential revisions to regulations governing access to alcoholic beverages onboard aircraft as a means of mitigating these risks and safeguarding passenger health during air travel.
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