Blog | Air ambulance | Repatriation from abroad (2024)

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Most people think that having high blood pressure is actually non-threatening and they disregard this condition as a mild one. However, high blood pressure is commonly known as “the silent killer”. According to the World Heart Federation, high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for death across the globe. Affecting more than one billion people, it is responsible for approximately “half of all heart disease and stroke-related deaths worldwide”.

That is why high blood pressure is not a medical condition that should be taken lightly. Proper treatment and lifestyle changes are primordial to protect yourself from the fatal consequences of this medical condition. What about flying with high blood pressure? Will the high altitude be a risk for high blood pressure patients?

What should you know about flying with high blood pressure?

• You can fly safely if your high blood pressure is controlled.
• Flying with unstable high blood pressure carries certain risks.
• Flying with a medical escort might help prevent any medical complications on board.
• In some cases, an airline company may refuse to have you on board because of medical complications.
• In these cases, high blood pressure patients can fly on an air ambulance.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is when your blood pressure increases to a level that is too high in a consistent manner. This means that the force of the blood pushing against your artery wall is too strong and the heart has strain to pump blood throughout your body.

Generally, hypertension is detected when you have a high blood pressure reading of 130/80 mm Hg or higher. A reading of 140 mm Hg or higher denotes stage 2 hypertension and once that number exceeds 180/120 mm Hg, you are in a state of hypertensive emergency.

Risks of high blood pressure

One of the dangers of high blood pressure is that it often does not produce any symptoms, making it hard to detect. In a lot of cases, hypertension is undetected for years and it is only once it reaches a life-threatening level that you might notice certain signs such as severe headaches, fatigue, nosebleed or difficulty breathing. Nonetheless, the risks of hypertension are definitely real.

What are the risks of high blood pressure?

• Heart attack or stroke
• Heart failure
• An aneurysm
• Kidney problems
• Eye problems
• Metabolic syndrome
• Dementia
• Brain or memory issues

Can you fly with high blood pressure?

Is it safe to fly with high blood pressure? If the medical condition is well-managed, the answer is yes. However,if your hypertension is extremely high and unstable, it is best to avoid boarding a plane. A consultation with your doctor before flying is primordial to know if you are fit to fly.

Some of the common medical emergencies that occur on flights are:

• Dizziness,
• Breathing problems
• Nausea or vomiting
• Heart attacks/strokes
• Seizures

Many of these emergencies might be a result of hypertension. As such, uncontrolled high blood pressure might be extremely dangerous while boarding a plane.

Risks of flying with hypertension

According to a study conducted in 2021, healthy men without any heart condition are at risk of experiencing an increase of 6 percent in blood pressure when boarding a commercial flight. What are the risks of flying for high blood pressure patients?

• Stress and anxiety of boarding a plane might considerably increase your blood pressure
• Salty airplane food and alcohol drinking can also spike your blood pressure, leading to other complications
• Earache or temporary hear loss
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which increases the risk of hypoxia or pulmonary embolism
• An increased risk of developing heart failure, strokes or other related conditions.

How does high altitude affect high blood pressure?

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. At high altitudes, the heart works harder to pump oxygen, causing additional stress and resulting in increased blood pressure.

A medical escort for patients with high blood pressure

One of the safety precautions that patients with high blood pressure can take while traveling is to fly with a medical escort. A medical escort is a medical professional who will accompany the patient during the flight.

How can a medical escort help patients with high blood pressure?

The medical escort will:

• Oversee the patient’s condition throughout the flight,
• Assist you with checking-in, boarding and other tiring tasks,
• Ensure you are taking your medications to control your blood pressure on time
• Monitor your blood pressure
• Provide moral support to avoid stress
• Intervene in case of an emergency

Can an airline company refuse you onboard because of high blood pressure?

As mentioned above, while you can fly safely if your blood pressure is controlled, in some cases, it is dangerous to fly.

Can an airline company refuse to have you on board the plane in these cases?

Taking into consideration the complications that might occur because of your high blood pressure and underlying medical conditions, an airline company can refuse to have you onboard its flight.

An air ambulance for high blood pressure patients

However, patients with high blood pressure can still travel, even if they have uncontrollable hypertension, one of the complications mentioned above or their doctor has advised against boarding a commercial flight.

Medical Air Service has air ambulances for patients with high blood pressure to travel safely and efficiently. These are medical jets that are fitted with the latest medical equipment and staffed with doctors and paramedics.

Thanks to the ICU medical equipment in our private jets, we can even transport patients in a state of hypertensive emergency. Moreover, we can conduct sea-level flights, which means that the air pressure inside the plane will be similar to the pressure at sea level.

All of the specificities of our private jets ensure that high blood pressure patients can travel safely, even long distances.

Contact us for a medical escort or an air ambulance

If you need a medical escort or an air ambulance, get in touch with us. Our agents are working 24/7 to listen to you and find a solution for you. You can contact them by mail, form or phone and they will get back to you as soon as possible. After a free consultation, they will design the best medical flight solution for you based on your situation.