Having had a coronary stent, should I fly?

The article is professionally consulted by Interventional Cardiologists, Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Airplanes are currently a popular and popular means of transportation. However, not everyone can fly. On the plane, although it is fully equipped with medicine and emergency support equipment when there are health accidents such as difficulty breathing while flying, angina, heart attack, fainting... due to the body's inability to adapt to the changes in the atmosphere when ascending, but, all preparations have certain limits.

As we all know, the higher the altitude, the colder the air, the thinner the oxygen concentration and the lower the atmospheric pressure will be. When the plane ascends at an altitude of 2000m or more, the body may experience vascular reactions such as dilation of cerebral blood vessels, constriction of visceral arteries, increased cardiac output to ensure adequate supply. blood flow to oxygen for the brain as well as internal organs in the body, fast pulse.
However, not everyone who travels by plane has this phenomenon, in fact, these reactions occur with not high frequency. Conversely, when the plane lands or begins to take off, the movement of changes in space and altitude will create a certain pressure on passengers. This effect is very likely to affect people with excitability neuropathies.
In order to minimize the effects of flight factors, currently on the aircraft, all cabins are equipped with a pressurization system to help customers adapt to the changes in flight conditions. changes in temperature, atmosphere and oxygen levels during flight, but these devices are only temporary aids and treatments. So before boarding, you should carefully consider health issues and consult your doctor if you have health problems, especially heart problems.

In the modern era, all aircraft are fully equipped with necessary machinery and equipment to support the health of passengers during flight. However, that does not mean that everyone can travel by plane.
According to research data, the rate of myocardial infarction or cardiovascular events on airplanes accounts for about 10-20% of the total number of health accidents.
According to leading cardiologists, flying increases the risk of blood clots forming in the deep veins. This happens because sitting for a long time on the plane leads to blood stasis in the legs, less urination plus the concentration of dilute oxygen when it is high, so it is easy to cause embolism, and these are also a triggering factor. onset of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
This will affect people with cardiopulmonary problems especially for patients who are having coronary stents. Therefore, for patients with coronary stents, when they want to travel by air, they need to have a medical examination before boarding the plane. If the specialist treating doctor confirms that your current condition can fly, then you should consider this, and at the same time must follow the instructions and advice of the doctor when allowed. join the flight.
Cases of note not to fly:
Patients with myocardial infarction, have been discharged from hospital less than 2 weeks. Patients who received stents or angioplasty were discharged from hospital less than 2 weeks ago. The patient underwent coronary bypass surgery and was discharged from hospital less than 3 weeks ago. People with a history of unstable angina, chest pain even at rest, and pain often come on suddenly, with no warning signs. The patient has severe heart failure that is difficult to control. Patients with severe arrhythmias especially uncontrolled ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. Patients with respiratory problems often require oxygen support. Although the aircraft cabins have been designed with support devices to provide enough oxygen, this oxygen level does not reach the level of the sea-level environment, so it can still cause hypoxia in the blood. During the flight, although everything is fully prepared, health accidents can still happen unexpectedly of flight attendants as well as customers. When incidents occur, it is essential to stay calm, avoid mental panic that will make the condition worse and affect other passengers on the same flight.

To minimize the risk of health accidents, especially for cardiovascular patients, it is necessary to note a few things as follows:
Eat nutritious meals before and during the flight. When suffering from cardiovascular disease, do not go to areas with altitudes above 1500m, areas that are too hot or too cold. Need to consult a doctor before going. Do not travel to the highlands for 6 months after having heart surgery or having a history of heart attack. Avoid doing a lot of exercise as soon as you climb up, it takes time to adapt to the thin air, usually 1-2 days, you can stretch your legs in place to increase circulation in the body, limiting the risk of injury. thrombus formation. Do not use nerve stimulants such as alcohol, tobacco or sleeping pills, anti-nerve pain relievers... Notify the flight crew as soon as there are signs of fatigue and difficulty breathing. When traveling by plane, you should bring all documents related to your health and medical conditions, medicines prescribed by your doctor for use and treatment. Airplanes, unlike other vehicles on the ground, can immediately find locations or medical facilities for immediate treatment when a health accident occurs. Therefore, it is very important to prepare a good health before boarding the plane, especially for cardiovascular and respiratory patients.
Currently, at Vinmec hospital, the coronary stenting method has been successfully applied to patients with cardiovascular diseases. After the stent is placed, when the patient has recovered, the patient is eligible to be able to travel by plane provided that he/she must follow the instructions of the treating doctor.
Coronary stenting technique has been implemented at Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital with a success rate of up to 98%. The technique is performed by a team of interventional cardiologists from Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital and Vinmec Times City (Hanoi). With modern cathlab system, sterile medical equipment, quiet space, helping patients quickly recover and minimize risk after stenting.