Air travel with heart disease

New research finds heart problems shouldn't stop you from flying.

A new study offers reassurance for people with heart disease who want to fly.

The British Cardiovascular Society just issued new guidelines which indicate air travel had no "significant threat" to cardiovascular health.

In the study, published in the journal, Heart, researchers found the main physical impact of air travel is breathing in air with reduced oxygen levels. This can lower circulating oxygen levels in the blood.

Doctors have long thought that flying may adversely affect passengers at high risk of angina, heart atttack, heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms. However, researchers found blood oxygen levels induced by flying "appear to have little or no adverse effects on the circulatory system. This proved to be especially true during flights of short and medium duration.

The British guidelines also noted a pacemaker does not prohibit flying. In addition, while long flights double the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the risk is similar to other modes of travel, such as a car, bus or train.

Researchers did warn that heart patients may be impacted by other stressful situations at the airport, such as security, luggage problems, unexpected changes in flight schedules and even the threat of terrorism.