The highs and lows of heart health

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Jetting off to Machu Picchu this summer? Mapping your journey and considering all contingencies? Don’t forget your heart.

Travelers with heart disease need to keep a few things in mind when vacationing at high altitudes, according to a report in this month’s Harvard Heart Letter.

As altitude increases, oxygen decreases, forcing the heart to work faster. Whether you might be seriously imperiled by the altitude will depend on three things: how high you go, what you do at that height, the state of your heart and your fitness level.

As a rule of thumb, ‘People with heart disease who can walk, jog, or do other physical activity at sea level can generally do the same things at higher elevation,’ says high-altitude expert and cardiologist Dr. Benjamin Levine in the report.

Before embarking on your trip:

--Consult your physician. Take a stress test and identify activities that you can and cannot do.

--Plan ahead. If you’re considering strenuous activities, make certain you can do those activities successfully at your accustomed elevation, before trying them on the road.

--Watch your blood pressure. It tends to rise in higher elevations, so work on getting it under control before the trip. Consider bringing a blood pressure monitor along.

--Watch the altitude: If you have pulmonary hypertension, try to stay below 6,000 feet.

-- Janet Cromley