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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Are There Any Risks Of Bringing A 92 Year Old, Congestive Heart Disease Patient To A Lower Altitude?

My mother-in-law is 92 years old and lives in Colorado at 7000 ft elevation. We live in Dallas. Thinking about bringing her down here for a visit. She has congestive heart disease. She is frail but still able to get around. What are the specific risks of her moving from where she is to this altitude?
Wed, 30 Apr 2014
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Cardiologist,  's  Response
Dear patient,

Thanks for the query. There should not be much problem in a heart failure patient going from a higher to lower altitude, since oxygen pressures are actually better at lower altitudes; if it was the opposite, theoretically there would be some adjustment problem as patients with heart failure frequently have low hemoglobin levels (anemia), which is the blood component that carries oxygen.


Hope this helps, wish you the best,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN
Depertment of Medicine
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
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Are There Any Risks Of Bringing A 92 Year Old, Congestive Heart Disease Patient To A Lower Altitude?

Dear patient, Thanks for the query. There should not be much problem in a heart failure patient going from a higher to lower altitude, since oxygen pressures are actually better at lower altitudes; if it was the opposite, theoretically there would be some adjustment problem as patients with heart failure frequently have low hemoglobin levels (anemia), which is the blood component that carries oxygen. Hope this helps, wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN Depertment of Medicine Division of Cardiovascular Diseases