Altitude....Does it matter?

I have a question, I have had a Medtronic Adapta implanted since 6/2010 and wanted to get everyone's opinion. My husband and I are leaving for Vail, CO next month and wanted to know if the altitude will effect my pacemaker at all. I know it is an issue when scuba diving at certain levels but not sure about the altitude or not. I plan on calling Medtronic on Friday on my day off of work but in the meantime just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on the subject.

2 Comments

no

by Tracey_E - 2013-05-01 09:05:21

The pm is not affected by altitude but sometimes the condition that caused us to need the pm may make us more sensitive to it.

Hydration is the best thing you can to to combat the effects of high altitude. I live at sea level, my parents are at 7500 and we hike/ski up to 11,000. I chug the day before I go then get a big bottle of water at the airport for the flight. I usually take it easy the first day, but by the second day I'm ready to go ski or hike, depending on the season. I get winded more easily out there but it doesn't keep me from doing what I want to do.

It depends....

by jenny97 - 2013-05-01 09:05:34

on whether the question is "does it matter to the pacemaker?" or "does it matter to me?" If the former, the answer is "no." The pacemaker should function just the same at high altitude as it does at your normal altitude.

If the question is "will the altitude affect me?" then it will really depend on a number of factors. First, at what altitude do you normally live and how long have you lived there? I'm from Utah, where I grew up in a valley at 4800 feet. But I've been living on the east coast at about 10 feet for 10 years. So when I go home to Utah, the altitude affects me and I find it more difficult to breathe. This is because my body has adjusted to the lower altitude and is no longer acclimated to the higher altitude. It takes a few days to adjust and I take it easy during the adjustment period. (This is the same adjustment that many non-PM hosts require.)

The second factor is the underlying condition that caused you to need the PM in the first place. for me, I have blood volume issues and low blood pressure. I also have other health issues that make the adjustment more difficult. If the underlying condition is simply an electrical problem, I wouldn't imagine there would be any significant impact and you wouldn't need any additional time to adjust.

The third factor is overall fitness. The more physically fit and active you are, the shorter the adjustment period required for significant changes in altitude.

So, relax, and enjoy your time in Vail!

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