In-flight medical emergencies. One year of experience with the enhanced medical kit
J. J. Cottrell, J. T. Callaghan, G. M. Kohn, E. C. Hensler and R. M. Rogers
University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago.
Recent regulations require commercial US aircraft to carry an enhanced
medical kit. We reviewed kit use on United Airlines during the initial year
of the regulations. We also surveyed passengers who became ill during
flight and health care providers who used the new kit. The medical kit was
used 362 times on 361 flights (once in every 1900 flights or one use for
every 150,000 air travelers). Health care providers indicated that the kit
was useful in more than 80% of emergencies and was occasionally lifesaving.
In the emergencies in which the kit was used, 70% fell into one of seven
major diagnostic groupings, including syncope/near syncope (29%),
cardiac/chest pain (16%), asthma/lung disease/shortness of breath (10%),
and allergic reactions (5%). With 450 million domestic air travelers per
year, we would expect 3000 in-flight medical emergencies annually, and
conclude that the enhanced medical kit is beneficial and propose that its
effectiveness would be improved by the addition of a bronchodilator for
inhalation.
