Narrative:

Prior to departure a passenger (elderly) complained to a passenger next to her that she was having breathing problems. The passenger next to her advised the flight attendant. I requested that she be removed from the flight and that we get her medical attention. When we advised her of same, she refused any medical attention and did not want to get off. I went back to the cabin and talked to her personally and she said that she was experiencing anxiety due to family problems and the 'stuffy' air in the cabin, but she 'felt just fine.' she was very alert, her color was good and did not appear to have any breathing difficulty. She assured me that her problem was of an emotional nature, so I decided not to take any further action and continue the flight. She did just fine until about 20-25 mins prior to landing, she started having difficulty breathing. She was put on oxygen and a doctor on board examined her and said she would be ok going into fll, but recommended medical assistance upon arrival. We then started our descent and notified company of the problem. The following items were used from the emergency medical kit: stethoscope, blood pressure device, and 1 pair of latex gloves. (No medication was necessary.) by the time the doctor got her medical history and finished examining her, we were about 15 mins from landing and therefore did not contact a medical link. Her medical history showed she had asthma and was a heavy smoker. We expedited our approach and descent and paramedics met the flight on arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ACR ACFT DSNDED AND LANDED ASAP DUE TO PAX ILLNESS. PARAMEDICS MET FLT UPON LNDG.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP A PAX (ELDERLY) COMPLAINED TO A PAX NEXT TO HER THAT SHE WAS HAVING BREATHING PROBS. THE PAX NEXT TO HER ADVISED THE FLT ATTENDANT. I REQUESTED THAT SHE BE REMOVED FROM THE FLT AND THAT WE GET HER MEDICAL ATTN. WHEN WE ADVISED HER OF SAME, SHE REFUSED ANY MEDICAL ATTN AND DID NOT WANT TO GET OFF. I WENT BACK TO THE CABIN AND TALKED TO HER PERSONALLY AND SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING ANXIETY DUE TO FAMILY PROBS AND THE 'STUFFY' AIR IN THE CABIN, BUT SHE 'FELT JUST FINE.' SHE WAS VERY ALERT, HER COLOR WAS GOOD AND DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY BREATHING DIFFICULTY. SHE ASSURED ME THAT HER PROB WAS OF AN EMOTIONAL NATURE, SO I DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION AND CONTINUE THE FLT. SHE DID JUST FINE UNTIL ABOUT 20-25 MINS PRIOR TO LNDG, SHE STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING. SHE WAS PUT ON OXYGEN AND A DOCTOR ON BOARD EXAMINED HER AND SAID SHE WOULD BE OK GOING INTO FLL, BUT RECOMMENDED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UPON ARR. WE THEN STARTED OUR DSCNT AND NOTIFIED COMPANY OF THE PROB. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE USED FROM THE EMER MEDICAL KIT: STETHOSCOPE, BLOOD PRESSURE DEVICE, AND 1 PAIR OF LATEX GLOVES. (NO MEDICATION WAS NECESSARY.) BY THE TIME THE DOCTOR GOT HER MEDICAL HISTORY AND FINISHED EXAMINING HER, WE WERE ABOUT 15 MINS FROM LNDG AND THEREFORE DID NOT CONTACT A MEDICAL LINK. HER MEDICAL HISTORY SHOWED SHE HAD ASTHMA AND WAS A HVY SMOKER. WE EXPEDITED OUR APCH AND DSCNT AND PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT ON ARR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.