Considerations for the Ambulatory Cardiopulmonary Patient as Concerned with Commercial Supersonic Transportation

¹ Chairman, Department of Medicine, Wilford Hall USAF Hospital, Aerospace Medical Division (AFSG), Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis

1. The special characteristics anticipated for SST travel will have little effect on the ability of most stable ambulatory, cardiopulmonary patients to use this type of transportation.

2. Severely impaired patients with obstructive lung disease, such as emphysema, who suffer from reduction in blood oxygenation, respiratory acidosis and/or cor pulmonale, cannot use supplemental oxygen with safety and should be restricted from this means of air travel.

3. Patients with dynamic and changing respiratory functions, such as those with pneumonia or acute asthma, would do best to postpone all travel including use of SST's.

4. Most cardiac patients will have little difficulty traveling on the SST because of the 6,000 feet maximum cabin altitude that is anticipated.

5. Cardiac patients with recent myocardial infarctions, status angina pectoris, or any degree of heart failure also are not candidates for travel of this type.

6. Whereas the flight pattern of these transports probably will require longer "seat belt time" (during which there will be less attendance from the cabin crew) and will have less availability for emergency landing facilities for hospitalization, the flights will be shorter, smoother and, in general, less exhausting to the ambulatory patient.

7. The possible passage over many time zones probably will require the patient to adjust his metabolic (circadian) cycle at his destination and produce some requirement for aid in readjusting his sleeping cycle.

8. In general, therefore, very little readjustment in the physician's approach to the travel of the ambulatory patient is expected with the advent of the SST.