What Causes Shortness Of Breath While Travelling By Flight?

Posted on Thu, 15 Jan 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 Answered on

Fri, 13 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : 70 year old male. Not overweight. My father fell asleep on a flight and started gasping for breath. When my mother tried to wake him he started flailing his arms and continued gasping for breath. He was unresponsive for 20 seconds until he woke up. When he woke up he was very white and sweaty. This was 3 hours ago. He seems ok now but I am concerned.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes it's concwerning - consult cardiologist and neurologist.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, thanks for your question on HCM.
I can understand your situation and problem.
Air travel in flight in an old age person (age more than 60) can precipitate DVT (deep venous thrombosis) of leg veins.
This thrombus can dislodge in blood and travel in blood vessels to obstruct them and produce symptoms.
Since your father has unconsciousness with sweating ,pallor, gasping for breath etc possibilities are
1. Pulmonary embolism
2. Coronary embolism
3. Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) due to cerebral embolism.
So better to consult cardiologist and get done CT pulmonary angiography and coronary angiography.
Consult neurologist and get done MR angiography of brain to rule out cerebral embolism.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good health to your father.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad