How to Travel Confidently When You Live With ATTR-CM
Cardiovascular DiseasesHeart Disease

Travel Tips for ATTR-CM

Travel Tips for ATTR-CM
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Published on July 13, 2026
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When you have transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), a rare disease that makes your heart muscle weak and stiff, traveling may seem difficult.

 But you can confidently embark on a trip for business or pleasure if you take the right precautions.
ATTR-CM can cause heart failure, and some symptoms, like shortness of breath and leg swelling, can get worse during trips away from home, because extra salt in your diet and medication schedule disruptions can cause a fluid imbalance in your body.

These tips can help you prevent and manage ATTR-CM symptoms and complications on the road.

Visit Your Provider Before Your Trip

First, visit your healthcare provider before you leave. “See your doctor four to six weeks before you go for a proper pre-travel check,” says Song Li, MD, an advanced heart failure and heart transplant cardiologist at Medical City Heart Hospital in Dallas.

If your heart failure is advanced (meaning you're breathless with very little exertion or even at rest), you may need to wear an oxygen mask on the plane, and airlines have to know about that in advance, says Dr. Li.

 The only type of oxygen you can bring on an airplane is a portable oxygen concentrator.

Your provider can also help you get:

  • Vaccinations that are recommended for your trip
  • Scheduled and as-needed medications
  • Information on precautions specific to your destination

Pack an ATTR-CM Travel Kit

Besides your toothbrush and swimsuit, you’ll need to pack some ATTR-CM specific travel supplies.

 Li recommends including the following:
  • Medications Pack enough for the whole trip, plus a few extra days in case of travel delays.
  • Medical Information Bring a document that lists all your medications and their doses, any drug allergies, and contact information for your providers.
  • Device ID Cards If you have a pacemaker or defibrillator, bring the ID card for the device.
  • Monitoring Equipment If you have room, pack a blood pressure cuff and a small scale to measure your blood pressure and weight on the go.
For travel in the United States, you can put your medications into a pre-packed pill organizer. But if you’re flying to another country, keep your medications in their original bottles or packets. Customs officials may want to check your medications, and may not allow you to bring them into the country without proper labeling.

If you have sleep apnea, take your CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machine with you, which can help prevent heart failure complications while traveling, says Lynne E Wagoner, MD, a cardiologist and the director of advanced heart failure at Mercy Heart Institute in Cincinnati.

Keep all medications in your carry-on luggage (never in checked luggage) in case your checked bags get lost or delayed, says Dr. Wagoner.

Graphic from Everyday Health titled 'Your ATTR-CM Travel Kit' shows essential items: medications, device ID cards, monitoring equipment like a blood pressure cuff, pre-packed pill organizer, medical information documents, and a CPAP or BiPAP machine.

Manage Medications on the Move

Keep taking all your scheduled medications while you travel and don’t skip doses if you can help it. Here are some other tips for handling medications on a trip.

Plan Out Time Zone Changes

“Crossing time zones is the part people tend to underestimate,” says Li, who recommends mapping out your dosing schedule on paper before you leave.

“This matters most for water pills (diuretics), where the timing also has to fit around when you'll have easy access to a bathroom,” says Li. “Sort that schedule out with your doctor four to six weeks before the trip.”

Only Take Medications You Brought With You

Some countries have counterfeit medications, so don’t count on buying replacements overseas, says Li.

 These drugs can look like the real thing, but they may not contain the right amount of medication and can also have harmful ingredients.

Be Aware of Drug Interactions

If you need to take malaria pills for your trip, check with your provider first, says Li. “Some of them can interact with heart medications and affect your heart rhythm.”

Ask When to Take ‘As Needed’ Meds

Before you leave, talk to your doctor about when to take additional medications or doses, says Wagoner. For example, if you have a heart arrhythmia like atrial fibrillation that comes and goes, your provider might recommend bringing a beta-blocker like metoprolol (Toprol) or a calcium channel blocker like diltiazem (Cardizem) to take if your heart goes out of rhythm, says Wagoner.

Optimize Nutrition and Hydration On the Go

Some foods and drinks can affect how much fluid your body holds on to, which can make a big difference for ATTR-CM.

 For example, eating foods with too much sodium can cause water retention.

 Fluid balance with ATTR-CM doesn’t have much room for error, says Li.
Keep following your low-sodium diet on your trip. If you go out to eat, you can ask your server for low-salt options. Also avoid or minimize alcohol, which can dehydrate you if you drink too much, says Li.

 Dehydration can cause weakness, dizziness, and make you feel extra tired.

“Too little fluid and you get dehydrated, too much and you overload a heart that can't keep up, and either extreme can land you in trouble,” says Li. “So drink enough to stay hydrated, but as a rough ceiling most heart failure patients should stay around two liters of fluid a day.”

You can also prevent dehydration by staying cool.

 Li says to:
  • Take breaks in air-conditioned spaces.
  • Stay out of direct sunlight.
  • Wear loose, lightweight clothing.

Flying and spending time in the heat can cause dehydration, says Wagoner. On these days, Wagoner recommends drinking an extra 10 to 12 ounces of noncaffeinated fluids throughout the day.



Don’t Overdo Activity

ATTR-CM can cause symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath, and you may have trouble walking long distances or up steep hills.

Know your limits, and go as slowly as you need to.

 “There's no shame in requesting a wheelchair or an electric cart at the airport, leaving plenty of time between connections, and building rest breaks into each day,” says Li.

Protect Against the Sun

Some heart medications can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, says Li. These include:

  • furosemide (Lasix)
  • hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, HydroDiuril, Oretic)
  • amiodarone (Pacerone)
  • diltiazem (Cardizem)

If you have to take these medications on a sunny holiday, cover your skin and use plenty of sunscreen, says Li.

Prevent Blood Clots in the Air and on the Road

When you have to sit in one place on a long road trip or flight, blood can pool in your veins and increase your risk for blood clots. These clots can travel to different places in your body and potentially cause a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism (a lung clot).

To prevent blood clots, our experts recommend these tips.

  • On a flight, get up and walk along the aisles every hour or two.
  • If you take a blood thinner, be sure not to miss a dose on your travel days.
  • For car trips, stop every two hours to stretch your legs.

Use Caution in High Altitudes

High altitudes mean less oxygen. If you travel to a higher altitude than you’re used to, your heart can struggle to keep up with this change, says Li. Your provider can help you make a plan for gradual exposure to altitude — like taking a few extra days to get to your final destination.

Emergency Care When Traveling

When you’re away from home, it’s important to know how to handle a medical emergency. Even when you take precautions, sometimes ATTR-CM can still cause symptoms that need medical attention.

First, talk to your provider about what symptoms need emergency care and which you can manage yourself.

How to Spot Worsening ATTR-CM

If you can, weigh yourself and check your blood pressure every day to check for sudden changes, says Li.

 “In ATTR-CM, your weight and blood pressure are some of the earliest signs that fluid is building up, and checking them daily on the road can catch a problem before it turns serious.”
Other early signs of worsening heart failure include:

  • Extra trouble breathing
  • Shoes and pants feeling tighter
  • Drop in appetite

Wagoner tells her patients to bring extra diuretics like furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide to take if they notice early symptoms, but talk to your doctor about steps you can take to lessen symptoms as they appear and about which medications are best for you.

How to Get Medical Help Away From Home

If you travel out of the country, find out how to contact emergency services where you’re staying. You can also take these steps to prepare for possible medical emergencies while abroad.

  • Look up your destination country’s emergency phone numbers through the Department of State.
  • Sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which allows the Department of State to help more quickly if you have an emergency.
  • Leave copies of your itinerary, contact information, travel documents, health history, and medications with a loved one at home.
  • Get health insurance that covers your destination and medical evacuation.
For help with a medical emergency, you have several options. In the United States, you can call 911. Overseas, you can contact your local U.S. embassy by calling 00 1 202-501-4444.

To improve the chances that any medical team can provide the care you need, wear a medical alert bracelet or carry a card listing your ATTR-CM, your medications, and an emergency contact, and keep it on you the whole trip rather than in your suitcase, says Li.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  12. Youngblood Gregory S. Understanding the Heart Disease Aspect of Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Mayo Clinic. February 13, 2026.
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Chung Yoon, MD

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Chung Yoon, MD, is a noninvasive cardiologist with a passion for diagnosis, prevention, intervention, and treatment of a wide range of heart and cardiovascular disorders. He enjoys...
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