AEROMEDICAL FACTORS

PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS
 Physiology is the scientific study of function in living systems Its focus is in
how organisms or organ systems carry out the functions that exist in a living
system.
 Some important medical factors that pilots must be aware are:
 Hypoxia
 Hyperventilation
 Middle Ear
 Sinus Problems
 Spatial Disorientation
 Optical Illusions
 Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- HYPOXIA AND
HYPERVENTELATION

 Respiration is the exchange of gases

between an organism and environment.
Respiration in human body’s function is
to get oxygen to the body and deliver
it to cells and get the carbon dioxide
and remove it in the body.
 Hypoxia is the deprivation of oxygen
in the body.
 Hyperventilation is the deprivation of
Carbon Dioxide in the body.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- HYPOXIA
 Hypoxia means “reduced
oxygen” or “not enough oxygen”.
 At this condition all parts of the
body including the brain receive
insufficient amount of oxygen thus
reducing its functions.
 Different forms of hypoxia based
from its cause:
 Hypoxic Hypoxia
 Hypemic Hypoxia
 Stagnant Hypoxia
 Histotoxic Hypoxia
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- HYPOXIA
Hypoxic Hypoxia
• Insufficient oxygen is available to the body
• Causes: Blocked airway, drowning and
fewer air availability at high altitude
Hypemic Hypoxia
• Hypemic = “Not enough”
• Not able to take and transport the proper
amount of air
• Causes: Severe bleeding, anemia, CO
poisoning and blood donation
Stagnant Hypoxia
• Stagnant/ Ischemia= “not moving”
• Causes: Shock, heart failure, constricted
artery, excessive Gs, and cold
temperatures
Hystotoxic Hypoxia
• Histo = “tissue”, toxic= “poisonous”
• Inability of cells to effectively use the
oxygen
• Causes: alcohol and other drugs like
narcotics and poisons
 PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- HYPOXIA

 Symptoms of hypoxia vary with the

individual.
 Euphoria= a feeling of increased well
being
 As hypoxia worsen, field of vision
begins to narrow and instrument
interpretation becomes harder.
 “Time of useful consciousness” is the
maximum time the pilot has to make
rational, life-saving decisions and do
it at a given altitude without
supplemental oxygen.
 PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- HYPERVENTELATION

 Hyperventilation is the excessive rate and

depth of respiration leading to abnormal
loss of carbon dioxide from the blood.
 Hyperventilation is often due to stress,
anxiety or panic. Other less common
causes include stimulant use, excessive use
of aspirin, and pulmonary disease such as
asthma.
 Breathing normally and breathing into a
paper bag or talking aloud helps to
overcome hyperventilation
 PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- MIDDLE EAR

 It happens during climb and descent

where the pressure inside and
outside the body is different.
 It is due to the trap air due to the
blockages normally in the middle
ear and at nasal passage when
having sinus problem.
 The pressure difference between
the middle ear and the outside is
equalize by the Eustachian Tube.
 It causes ear pain and temporary
loss of hearing.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- SINUS PROBLEMS
 Sinuses pressure equalize
through small openings that
connect the sinuses to the nasal
passages but sometimes cold or
sinusitis, or a nasal allergic
condition can produce enough
congestion around an opening
to slow equalization.
 It can produce excruciating
pain and bloody discharge.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- SPATIAL
DISORIENTATION
 Disorientation is the incorrect image of your position, attitude and movement
due to the misleading information from sensory organs
 Spatial Disorientation refers to the lack of orientation with regard to the
position, attitude, or movement of the airplane in space.
 There are 3 systems working together to ascertain an orientation.
 Vestibular System- organs found in the inner ear that sense position by the
way we are balanced.
 Somatosensory System- nerves in the skin, muscles, and joints, which, along
with hearing, sense position based on gravity, feeling, and sound.
 Visual System- eyes, which sense position based on what is seen.
 SOMATOSENSORY VESTIBULAR
VISUAL SYSTEM
SYSTEM SYSTEM
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- SPATIAL
DISORIENTATION (VESTIBULAR ILLUSIONS)
CORIOLIS ILLUSION
It is a result of a turn in which the pilot
tilt their head down or to side, the
rapid head movement set the fluid
inside several canals to move. Creating
an illusion of turning and accelerating
in different axis.
GRAVEYARD SPIRAL
A prolonged turn during a descent
maybe interpreted as a level wings
descent which can lead to increase
elevator back pressure and tightening
turn resulting to greater altitude lost.
LEANS
It is a result when a banked attitude is
entered too slowly. Then an abrupt
correction is applied.
The disoriented pilot may make the
error of rolling the aircraft into the
original banked attitude.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- SPATIAL
DISORIENTATION (VESTIBULAR ILLUSIONS)
SOMATOGRAVIC
ILLUSION
A rapid acceleration like in take off
stimulates the movement of fluids inside
the canal. It creates an illusion of a
nose up attitude especially when there
is no good visual references. A push for
nose down attitude or a decrease in
power can be the reaction of the pilot
INVERSION ILLUSION
An abrupt change from climb to
straight-and-level can create the illusion
of tumbling backwards. The disoriented
pilot may push the aircraft abruptly into
a nose-low attitude, possibly intensifying
this illusion.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS- SPATIAL
DISORIENTATION (VISUAL ILLUSIONS)

 Visual illusions are especially hazardous because pilots rely on

their eyes for correct information. Two illusions that lead to
spatial disorientation, false horizon and autokinesis.
 False Horizon occurs when the natural horizon is obscured.
Attempting to align the aircraft with false horizon can lead to
serious flight attitude.
 Autokinesis is a false perception of movement, when someone
stares at a single point of light against a dark background for
more than a few second, the light may appear to move.
ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND PERFORMANCE

DO NOT FLY!
 Within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage
 While under the influence of alcohol
 While using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any
way contrary to safety
 While having 0.04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the
blood
 DO NOT FLY!

Sedatives (Sleeping Pills) Tranquilizers Antihistamines Pain Relievers Cough Suppressants

Blood Pressure Medications Agents that control Diarrhea Muscle Relaxants Motion Sickness medications