Have a heart problem but want to travel? Is it safe to fly with your medical condition? Find out the different risks of traveling as a heart patient and how to fly with MTI 24/7’s team can help you travel safely and comfortably.
Important information regarding heart patients and air travel:
Heart patients refer to any person having a medical condition that affects their heart and blood vessels.
Age, gender, lifestyle, family history, race, ethnicity, and other health conditions are all risk factors for heart disease.
Cardiac artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease.
Air travel is safe for heart patients, but precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of arterial blood clots and venous thrombosis.
Common medical emergencies dealt with by flight crew on commercial flights include heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests.
Three tips for traveling as a heart patient include moving around, staying hydrated, and preparing for metal detectors.
MTI 24/7 provides air ambulance and medical escort services for safe travel as part of our Bed-to-Bed service.
Our compassionate team can be contacted at any time for a free consultation and non-binding quotation.
Who qualifies as a heart patient?
If you have a condition affecting your heart and blood vessels, you are considered a heart patient. Some people are born with heart disease, but others develop it later in life. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. Other examples include arrhythmia and heart failure.
Risk factors for heart disease
Your risk for heart disease is determined by several factors, including:
Age
Gender
Lifestyle (e.g. smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise, and stress)
Family history
Race and ethnicity
Other medical conditions (e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity)
Although you have no control over most of these factors, you can make changes to your lifestyle to reduce your risk of heart disease.
Risks of flying for heart patients
Flying with a heart condition is generally safe, but it is important for heart patients to understand the potential risks and take precautions. Two significant concerns are arterial blood clots and venous thrombosis, which can result from prolonged immobility and dehydration during a flight. In addition, lower oxygen levels in the cabin and the stress of travel may exacerbate pre-existing conditions like coronary artery disease (CAD) and pulmonary hypertension.
When should heart patients avoid commercial flights?
Some heart patients, particularly those with severe or unstable heart conditions, may be unable to fly on commercial airlines due to the risks their medical condition poses. For these individuals, specialized medical transport, such as an air ambulance, is often the safest option.
Reasons heart patients may not fly commercially:
Unstable heart condition: Patients who have recently experienced a heart attack, severe arrhythmias, or unstable angina require constant monitoring and critical care, which commercial flights cannot provide.
Cabin pressure changes: The change in cabin pressure at high altitudes can reduce oxygen levels, potentially leading to hypoxia, which can worsen heart symptoms.
Limited medical support: Commercial airlines lack advanced medical equipment and personnel trained to handle cardiac emergencies.
Increased stress and anxiety: The stress of travel, long periods of sitting, and the cabin environment can aggravate heart conditions in vulnerable patients.
Risk of complications: For patients who rely on oxygen, defibrillators, or other life-saving equipment, commercial flights may not be equipped to provide the necessary immediate care.
What happens if you have a heart problem on a commercial plane?
If you have a medical emergency, such as a heart attack, stroke, or cardiac arrest, the cabin crew will first evaluate your health status. Then, they will reach out to medical support on the ground for advice on what to do next. The flight crew can administer emergency medications and use equipment included in the emergency kit available onboard the commercial airliner. Flight diversion may be necessary for certain medical emergencies. However, this decision is made by the pilot and flight dispatcher
Three tips for traveling as a heart patient
If you are a heart patient and you are traveling on a commercial flight, you should:
Move around: Since prolonged sitting increases the risk of blood clotting, it is recommended to move at least once every two hours.
Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids and steer clear of salty snacks, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks to avoid dehydration.
Prepare for metal detectors: If you have a pacemaker or another implantable cardiac device, ask your doctor to provide you with a letter as it may set off metal detector alarms.
Safe travel options for heart patients
At MTI 24/7, we place great importance on your safety and well-being. That is why we provide air ambulance transport and medical escort for heart patients. Our patient transports cover all degrees of medical needs.
How does our air ambulance service help heart patients?
An air ambulance service provides rapid medical transport for heart patients needing critical care or evacuation. MTI 24/7 ensures safe and efficient transfers with specialized equipment and medical teams tailored to cardiac emergencies.
Key benefits of air ambulance services for heart patients:
Rapid response: Quick transport minimizes delays for urgent cardiac care.
Advanced medical equipment: Equipped with tools like ECG monitors, defibrillators, and ventilators.
Specialized medical teams: Staffed with cardiac specialists for in-flight care.
Sea-level flights: Adjusted cabin pressure to reduce stress on the heart.
Safe long-distance transfers: Ideal for repatriation or inter-hospital transfers.
Continuous monitoring: Real-time care ensures stability during transit.
Medical escort service for heart patients
A medical escort service provides affordable, supervised travel for stable heart patients on commercial flights. MTI 24/7 ensures a nurse or paramedic accompanies the patient to monitor their heart condition and provide assistance throughout the journey.
Benefits of our medical escort service for heart patients:
Cost-effective option: More affordable than private air ambulances for stable patients.
Continuous monitoring: Heart condition is closely monitored throughout the flight.
Qualified medical support: A nurse or paramedic intervenes in case of cardiac complications.
Pre-flight assistance: Help with boarding and ensuring medical needs are met.
In-flight care: Immediate medical support ensures safety and comfort.
Post-flight support: Assistance after landing for a seamless transfer to the destination.
Bed-to-Bed service for the seamless transfer of heart patients
Our goal with our Bed-to-Bed service is to facilitate medical transport for heart patients. In addition to organizing an air ambulance transport or medical escort for you, we will arrange ground ambulance transport for your airport transfers. You can have peace of mind knowing that you will be under medical supervision the entire time you are traveling.
How to book an air ambulance or medical escort with us?
Whether you need an air ambulance flight or a medical escort for your commercial flight, MTI 24/7’s compassionate agents are here to assist you. We will work closely with you to find out which patient transport option is most suitable. We will, for instance, inquire about the flight route and the patient's condition. Once we understand your circumstances better, we will present you with a personalized, non-binding quote for review.
Contact us for the repatriation or evacuation of a heart patient
Do you or your loved one suffer from heart disease and need to be evacuated or repatriated? Contact our agents for a free consultation today! You can generally be airborne on the same or the next day of booking confirmation. You can get in touch with our team by email, telephone, or by filling out the contact form on our website. Let us handle the logistics of your medical transport while you focus on your recovery.
Reach us by:
Phone: USA: +1 646 335 06 83 / UK: +44 20 3608 0959
Email: info@mti-247.com
Our contact form