B757-200 crew diverted to mem after a passenger had a cardiac event on the aircraft. She was attende...

Attributes
ACN	594298
Time
Date	200309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zme.artcc
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 41000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	594298
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

On sep/sat/03, from lax-atl, diverted to mem airport. FL410, flight attendant notified captain that the passenger was experiencing poor breathing and not feeling well. Flight attendant found a medical doctor and nurse on board, immediately hooked her up to portable oxygen bottle. Captain told first officer to fly aircraft and prepare for a divert to mem. Dispatcher notified via ACARS and company radio 'phone patch' set up with company medical advisor. On duty doctor reluctant to make call without any blood pressure readings (blood pressure cuff too small for large passenger). Medical doctor gave her 'digitec' medication with not much improvement. Passenger was diabetic and had heart surgery 2 yrs previous. Passenger did not want to go to mem. Company medical advisor reluctant to go against 'passenger's wishes.' doctor told captain she could have a heart attack. Based on onboard medical doctor's advice, supported by dispatcher, diverted to mem. Paramedics said she had a 'cardiac event.' passenger did not want to get off aircraft. Explained to her that I couldn't legally take her, reluctantly went to hospital. Follow-up call to hospital, passenger kept for 2 days, testing. Blood pressure cuff too small for large passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW DIVERTED TO MEM AFTER A PAX HAD A CARDIAC EVENT ON THE ACFT. SHE WAS ATTENDED BY AN ONBOARD PAX MEDICAL DOCTOR, AND AN ONBOARD PAX NURSE.

Narrative: ON SEP/SAT/03, FROM LAX-ATL, DIVERTED TO MEM ARPT. FL410, FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED CAPT THAT THE PAX WAS EXPERIENCING POOR BREATHING AND NOT FEELING WELL. FLT ATTENDANT FOUND A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND NURSE ON BOARD, IMMEDIATELY HOOKED HER UP TO PORTABLE OXYGEN BOTTLE. CAPT TOLD FO TO FLY ACFT AND PREPARE FOR A DIVERT TO MEM. DISPATCHER NOTIFIED VIA ACARS AND COMPANY RADIO 'PHONE PATCH' SET UP WITH COMPANY MEDICAL ADVISOR. ON DUTY DOCTOR RELUCTANT TO MAKE CALL WITHOUT ANY BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS (BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF TOO SMALL FOR LARGE PAX). MEDICAL DOCTOR GAVE HER 'DIGITEC' MEDICATION WITH NOT MUCH IMPROVEMENT. PAX WAS DIABETIC AND HAD HEART SURGERY 2 YRS PREVIOUS. PAX DID NOT WANT TO GO TO MEM. COMPANY MEDICAL ADVISOR RELUCTANT TO GO AGAINST 'PAX'S WISHES.' DOCTOR TOLD CAPT SHE COULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK. BASED ON ONBOARD MEDICAL DOCTOR'S ADVICE, SUPPORTED BY DISPATCHER, DIVERTED TO MEM. PARAMEDICS SAID SHE HAD A 'CARDIAC EVENT.' PAX DID NOT WANT TO GET OFF ACFT. EXPLAINED TO HER THAT I COULDN'T LEGALLY TAKE HER, RELUCTANTLY WENT TO HOSPITAL. FOLLOW-UP CALL TO HOSPITAL, PAX KEPT FOR 2 DAYS, TESTING. BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF TOO SMALL FOR LARGE PAX.

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.

B757-200 crew diverted to mem after a passenger had a cardiac event on the aircraft. She was attended by an onboard passenger medical doctor, and an onboard passenger nurse.