Try to get up from your seat regularly and walk up and down the plane. Try and walk up and down every hour or so. You can also do some simple exercises in your seat such as moving your feet/ankles up and down in a treddle motion to pump blood through your calves.
If you are not feeling well before you get on the plane do not board it- particularly if you have any symptoms of shortness of breath or chest pain
Research shows that the biggest risk factor for people with heart disease is a thrombosis or blood clot of the leg or pelvis from sitting still for too long. This is exaggerated by dehydration and the lower oxygen levels on the plane.
Problems with stable heart disease are very unlikely to have problems.
However it is still heart related problems that cause the highest percentage of in flight emergencies.
Flights over 8 hours pose a greater risk.
Air travel is not recommended within 2 weeks of any heart attack even if there were no complications.
There is no evidence that air travel can interfere with pacemakers or implanted defibrillators (ICD)but they should try and ask to be checked by handheld metal detectors or hand searches. If there is a hand-held device the examiner should not hold the device over the ICD for more than a few seconds. It is best to take your device’s ID card with you to inform the staff of your device.
Pre travel checklist for those with Heart Disease
-Avoid extreme heat and extreme cold countries
-Avoid stress getting to the airport
-Use easy rolling suitcases
-Carry plenty of all your medications on board- well labelled
If you need to take medications that are liquids, creams or gels over 100 mls in your hand luggage you will have to get a letter from your GP and get approval from the airline before travel
-Take a letter from your GP with information about your conditions
-Carry a copy of your normal ECG
-Carry contact details/web addresses of your pacemaker or ICD manufacturers
-Wear below knee compression socks
-Try and book an aisle seat so you can get up and down
If you are considered to be at high risk of a DVT then you can get a heparin injection from your GP which helps prevent clots