Airline Flights Put People with OSA at Risk for Cardiac Stress

June 16, 2008

People with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on commercial airline flights may have a greater risk of adverse events from cardiac stress than healthy people, according to research presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto.

Researchers compared oxygen levels and ventilation of healthy people and people with severe OSA during simulated flight conditions.

The research showed change in oxygen and increase in breathing intensity was similar to healthy people, but physiological stress and demand for oxygen increased in people with OSA.