Outcomes of Medical Emergencies on Commercial Airline Flights

Outcomes of Medical Emergencies on Commercial Airline Flights

Author: 
Peterson, Drew C. [etal]
Publisher: 
New England Journal of Medicine
Date published: 
2013
Record type: 
Journal Title: 
The New England Journal of Medicine
Source: 
The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 368, No. 22, May 30, 2013, pp. 2075-2083
Abstract: 

Worldwide, 2.75 billion passengers fly on commercial airlines annually. When in-flight medical emergencies occur, access to care is limited. We describe in-flight medical emergencies and the outcomes of these events. There were 11,920 in-flight medical emergencies resulting in calls to the center (1 medical emergency per 604 flights). The most common problems were syncope or presyncope (37.4% of cases), respiratory symptoms (12.1%), and nausea or vomiting (9.5%). Physician passengers provided medical assistance in 48.1% of in-flight medical emergencies, and aircraft diversion occurred in 7.3%. Of 10,914 patients for whom postflight follow-up data were available, 25.8% were transported to a hospital by emergency-medical-service personnel, 8.6% were admitted, and 0.3% died. The most common triggers for admission were possible stroke (odds ratio, 3.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.88 to 6.03), respiratory symptoms (odds ratio, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.48 to 3.06), and cardiac symptoms (odds ratio, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.37 to 2.77).

Language: 

CITATION: Peterson, Drew C. [etal]. Outcomes of Medical Emergencies on Commercial Airline Flights . : New England Journal of Medicine , 2013. The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 368, No. 22, May 30, 2013, pp. 2075-2083 - Available at: https://library.au.int/outcomes-medical-emergencies-commercial-airline-flights-4