In-flight medical emergencies

Management

• Hypoxia is normal, with oxygen saturation is baseline 90% on airplanes
• May need to estimate BP with palpation rather than auscultation
• Medications that can be given IM
  • Diazepam
  • Dimenhydrinate
  • Diphenhydramine
  • Epinephrine 1:1000
  • Furosemide
  • Haloperidol
  • Ketorolac
  • Methylprednisolone

Further Reading

• "Is there a doctor on board?": Practical recommendations for managing in-flight medical emergencies. CMAJ. 2018;190(8):E217-E222. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.170601