Most common in-flight medical problems syncope, respiratory symptoms, nausea and vomiting
WEDNESDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Physician passengers provide medical assistance in about half of in-flight medical emergencies, which are most commonly related to syncope, respiratory symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms, according to a study published in the May 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Drew C. Peterson, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and colleagues reviewed the records of in-flight medical emergency calls from five domestic and international airlines from January 2008 through October 2010.
A total of 11,920 in-flight medical emergencies resulting in calls to the physician-directed medical communications center were identified. The researchers found that 37.4 percent of all cases were syncope or presyncope, while 12.1 percent were respiratory symptoms, and 9.5 percent were nausea and vomiting. In 48.1 percent of in-flight medical emergencies, physician passengers provided medical assistance, and aircraft diversion was required in 7.3 percent of cases. About one-quarter (25.8 percent) of the 10,914 patients for whom post-flight follow-up data were available were transported to a hospital, 8.6 percent were admitted, and 0.3 percent died. Possible stroke, respiratory symptoms, and cardiac symptoms were the most common triggers for admission (odds ratios, 3.36, 2.13, and 1.95, respectively).
"We believe that airline passengers who are health care professionals should be aware of their potential role as volunteer responders to in-flight medical emergencies," the authors write. "We also advocate for systematic tracking of all in-flight medical emergencies, including subsequent hospital care and other outcomes, to better guide interventions in this sequestered population."
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