Air travel and respiratory disease.
** Hypoxia-Altitude testing...ever heard of this test before?
Neither had we, that is until the referral came from the respiralogy doctor advising it beneficial to have. The telephone call this week notified of the test on October 1st.
Should it be a concern? YES! And we're very interested in hearing from any individual out there who has already had this test performed.
How does this affect someone with a respiratory disease?
Since even a normal and healthy person can desaturate when altitudes are reached by flying, a person with abnormal lungs (read - lung diseases), can become particularly vulnerable to risk factors such as abnormal spirometry. Those patients with a resting oxygen saturation below 92% or 92-95% on air with additional risk factors are recommended to have a formal hypoxic challenge test to identify whether they are able to compensate for the altitude.
What is this test exactly then?
"Hypoxia-Altitude Simulation Testing is used to to assess acute cardiopulmonary responses to the inhalation of hypoxic gas mixtures (equivalent to the inspired oxygen tension (PO2) present at 5,000, 8,000, and 10,000 feet above sea level) alone and in combination with supplemental oxygen (O2), also measuring arterial blood gases."
Highly recommended to those suffering from lung disease. Why not ask your doctor to refer you if flying is of concern for you?
You can find out more about it here;
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