Nothing puts you in the Christmas mood more than that first glass of wine or pint of beer at the airport.
But travelers beware, as the combination of alcohol and cabin pressure may threaten the heart health of passengers sleeping on a plane, the first study of its kind suggests.
Researchers have found that the duo reduces the amount of oxygen in people’s blood (SpO2) and increases heart rate over a prolonged period of time, even in young, healthy people.
The greater the alcohol consumption, the greater these effects could be, particularly among older passengers and those with existing medical conditions, they warned.
And they suggested now might be the time to consider restricting access to alcohol on board, particularly on long-haul flights.
A team from the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, Germany, recruited 48 people between 18 and 40 years old for their study.
Researchers have found that the duo reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood and increases heart rate, even in young, healthy people.
The participants were divided into two groups: half slept in a laboratory under normal air pressure conditions, while the rest slept in an altitude chamber that mimicked cabin pressure during an airplane’s cruising altitude.
In each group, half slept for four hours without drinking alcohol, while others slept for four hours after drinking the equivalent of two cans of beer or two glasses of wine in pure vodka.
For those who slept under normal pressure conditions and had not consumed alcohol, their blood oxygen levels remained stable at around 96 percent with a sleep heart rate of 64 bpm.
However, analyzes revealed that those who had drunk alcohol and were in the altitude chamber recorded a drop in blood oxygen levels, to an average of 85 percent.
Meanwhile, his heart rate increased to an average of nearly 88 bmp during sleep.
This compares with an average blood oxygen level of 88 percent and a sleep heart rate of 73 bpm among those in the altitude chamber who had not drank alcohol.
The researchers wrote in the journal Thorax: “Taken together, these results indicate that, even in young, healthy individuals, the combination of alcohol intake with sleep under hypobaric (cabin pressure) conditions places considerable stress on the system.” cardiac and could lead to exacerbation of symptoms in patients with heart or lung diseases.’
These effects could be even greater in older people, they suggest, adding: “Cardiovascular symptoms are prevalent in 7 percent of medical emergencies on board, and cardiac arrest causes 58 percent of aircraft diversions.”
They concluded: “Practitioners, passengers and crew should be informed of the potential risks, and it may be beneficial to consider amending regulations to restrict access to alcoholic beverages on board aircraft.”
The team said the study participants slept lying down, a luxury typically only afforded to those who fly first class, so the findings may be different for most airline passengers who fly economy class.