Free Paper Example on Pilots and Hypoxia: Understand the Risk of High Altitude Flights

It only takes one unintentional higher-than-normal flight to throw pilots a curveball when it comes to comprehending how to physically handle high altitudes. Hypoxia is a condition where limited oxygen makes it to the body tissues and the cells in the human body. This type of condition can take place even though the flow of blood is normal in the body. The disease can lead to many serious in most cases life-threatening complications in one's body. Oxygen plays a vital role in an individual's body tissues and cells. For instance, without oxygen, some of the major body organs like the heart and brain may be damaged within minutes. Fortunately, if one can discover the disease early enough, one can be able to manage it before it leads to serious complications. Just like any other disease, hypoxia has several signs and symptoms.

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The signs and symptoms of hypoxia tend to vary from person to person. However, there are some signs and symptoms that are common to all. One of the most common signs and symptoms of the disease is shortness of breath. Shortness of breath is applicable as a symptom regardless of whether the individual is resting or undertaking physical activity. Another sign and symptom of the illness is noisy breathing. Audible noises when taking breaths or wheezing are indications of respiratory diseases. It is therefore advisable to assess lung sounds for sounds such as cracks or wheezes as secretions can block the airways limiting the amount of oxygen available in the breathing process. Another common symptom is the changing color of an individual’s skin. The skin tends to appear blue and in other cases cherry red. Another sign and symptom is being restless and anxious. Restlessness and anxiety are early signs of the disease. Confusion is another common symptom. People with hypoxia tend to be confused in most cases, they often find themselves confused with everything due to the change of their mental status. This sign is however in a worst-case scenario and signifies a person is in the late stages of hypoxia. A persistent cough is also another symptom. Coughing is a common symptom in various conditions but it is better not to assume a persistent cough since you never know the condition causing the cough.

Prevention of hypoxia tends to be difficult as the signs and symptoms of the disease are very subtle, especially to pilots and the cabin crew. However if detected early, the solutions are not complex. One of the prevention measures is to limit one’s time above 10,000 feet to less than an hour and in cases where an individual is flying above 12,000 feet even less time (LVHN MedEvac Education Channel, 2016). Another preventive measure is donning the oxygen mask when above 10,000 feet and 5,000 feet during the night hours. Finally, it is advisable for one to always maintain good health. Even though the stipulations dictate avoidance of alcohol eight hours before a flight, being conservative is advisable. Alcohol consumption makes one vulnerable to hypoxia for hours after the effects clear. It is also advisable to avoid smoking. It is also prudent to maintain low stress levels and if possible avoid them. As a pilot, it is advisable to always be in close communication with your co-pilot. Knowing each other's mental status goes a long way in the early diagnosis of hypoxia.

Reference

LVHN MedEvac Education Channel, (2016). Flight Physiology: Flight Physiology Lecture for Aeromedical Crews. https://youtu.be/ZJDOlTcGEa0