An evaluation of the U.S. in-flight medical kit

Abstract

Background: In-flight medical care and the FAA mandated medical kit have been studied for many years. This study includes a correlation between medical kit use and patient response in-flight, in an effort to reevaluate the FAA-mandated medical kit required on U.S. airlines.

Methods: A survey of 5 U.S. domestic air carriers from October 1, 1996 to September 30, 1997 showed 1132 in-flight medical incidents. These airlines accounted for approximately 24% of scheduled U.S. domestic enplanements during the period.

Results: The medical kit was used during 47% of in-flight medical events. While there was no significant difference in the number of patients who improved in-flight as a result of medical kit use, more patients' conditions worsened with kit use compared with those without kit use. Similarly, there was a greater likelihood that the in-flight medical kit was used when a flight diverted.

Conclusions: These associations may have been confounded by differences in the severity of the cases and although statistically significant may not be of clinical importance. Results indicated that bronchodilator inhalers, oral antihistamines, and non-narcotic analgesics, all of which were obtained from other passengers, were used frequently enough to support including them in the medical kit.