Can flying cause your heart to race?

Airplane Travel and Blood Oxygen Saturation Local hypoxia causes vasodilation (decrease in blood pressure) and increased capillary permeability, as well as increased ventilatory effort and heart rate. One study found a passenger had a blood oxygen saturation of 94% at ground level and 85% at altitude.



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At sea level, oxygen saturation hovers around 98 to 100 percent, but at 14,000 feet, the saturation levels drops to 80 percent due to oxygen-poor air, requiring the heart to increase cardiac output, requiring a 10 to 30 percent increase in heart rate to maintain appropriate oxygen delivery to tissues.

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Cardiac arrhythmia. Hypoxia and increased sympathetic activation may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias at high altitude2; however, the incidence of significant arrhythmias during air travel is rare.

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Air travel itself does not cause paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, or atrial flutter. Patients who are asymptomatic or symptomatically stable should not be restrict- ed from flying.

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Advice for Travelling with Heart Arrhythmia It is always important to be aware of factors that may impact a heart arrhythmia whilst flying, one of which is becoming dehydrated, which can worsen symptoms of arrhythmia if not avoided.

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Airplane Travel and Blood Oxygen Saturation Local hypoxia causes vasodilation (decrease in blood pressure) and increased capillary permeability, as well as increased ventilatory effort and heart rate. One study found a passenger had a blood oxygen saturation of 94% at ground level and 85% at altitude.

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Patients with severe or decompensated congestive heart failure (symptoms occur even when resting/any physical activity increases discomfort) should avoid flying. If travel cannot be avoided, on-board oxygen and medical assistance should be requested.

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What Effects Does Long-Haul Flying Have On The Human Body?
  • Jet lag. Indeed, the most common symptom of a long-haul journey is jet lag. ...
  • Fatigue. Another common side effect of being airborne for long periods is mild fatigue. ...
  • Ear, nose, and gut problems. Pressurization doesn't just affect oxygen levels. ...
  • Dehydrated skin.


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recent operation or injury where trapped air or gas may be present in the body (e.g. stomach ,bowel, eyes, face, brain) severe long term diseases that affect your breathing. breathlessness at rest. unresolved pneumothorax (punctured lung)

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One of the main issues of flying when you have hypertension is the reduced oxygen level in the plane cabin, which occurs because of the high altitude. Being in high altitudes, (at least 5,000 to 11,500 feet above sea level) can increase a person's blood pressure because of the low level of oxygen.

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Aerophobia usually doesn't have a specific cause. It's very rare for aerophobia to stem from a traumatic experience on a flight. Specific triggers might include: News stories about terrorism, crashes or violence on airplanes.

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One in three people said that the most stressful part of travelling was during the flight, with a further 35% saying they found landing the most stressful. Boarding, finding your seat on the plane and the flight itself all came at the bottom of the list, making them the least stressful moments whilst travelling.

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