Narrative:

Upon reaching cruise flight en route to bwi, I was asked to contact the medical department for the flight attendant. Flight attendant discussed passenger issues with them and at that time it was decided we continue to bwi. After 30 mins, she called again saying the customer's condition had gotten worse and asked for another patch. He asked us to land short due to the fact he thought the passenger was having a stroke. Dispatch and I approved the diversion into bna. We then declared a medical emergency and asked for direct bna. On descent, the flight attendants called again stating his condition was still deteriorating. At that time, I told bna approach that we would be keeping our speed up and asked for direct. Passing through 10000 ft, we continued to run at speeds greater than 250 KTS until we needed to slow for the approach. Shot a normal approach and met all stabilized approach criteria prior to the OM. Landed and medics met the aircraft and took the passenger to the hospital. We had to slow for a normal approach and did so to achieve normal approach parameters. My first officer was flying. He did a great job at controling the aircraft and maintaining all standards throughout the approach and landing. Supplemental information from acn 615935: we flew approximately 330 KTS below 10000 ft until necessary to slow for the final approach segment. Captain and I both felt this was the best course of action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737 DECLARE MEDICAL EMER AND DIVERT TO BNA DUE TO PAX SUFFERING POSSIBLE STROKE. EXERCISED CAPT'S AUTH TO EXPEDITE ARR BELOW 10000 FT.

Narrative: UPON REACHING CRUISE FLT ENRTE TO BWI, I WAS ASKED TO CONTACT THE MEDICAL DEPT FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT. FLT ATTENDANT DISCUSSED PAX ISSUES WITH THEM AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS DECIDED WE CONTINUE TO BWI. AFTER 30 MINS, SHE CALLED AGAIN SAYING THE CUSTOMER'S CONDITION HAD GOTTEN WORSE AND ASKED FOR ANOTHER PATCH. HE ASKED US TO LAND SHORT DUE TO THE FACT HE THOUGHT THE PAX WAS HAVING A STROKE. DISPATCH AND I APPROVED THE DIVERSION INTO BNA. WE THEN DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND ASKED FOR DIRECT BNA. ON DSCNT, THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED AGAIN STATING HIS CONDITION WAS STILL DETERIORATING. AT THAT TIME, I TOLD BNA APCH THAT WE WOULD BE KEEPING OUR SPD UP AND ASKED FOR DIRECT. PASSING THROUGH 10000 FT, WE CONTINUED TO RUN AT SPDS GREATER THAN 250 KTS UNTIL WE NEEDED TO SLOW FOR THE APCH. SHOT A NORMAL APCH AND MET ALL STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA PRIOR TO THE OM. LANDED AND MEDICS MET THE ACFT AND TOOK THE PAX TO THE HOSPITAL. WE HAD TO SLOW FOR A NORMAL APCH AND DID SO TO ACHIEVE NORMAL APCH PARAMETERS. MY FO WAS FLYING. HE DID A GREAT JOB AT CTLING THE ACFT AND MAINTAINING ALL STANDARDS THROUGHOUT THE APCH AND LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 615935: WE FLEW APPROX 330 KTS BELOW 10000 FT UNTIL NECESSARY TO SLOW FOR THE FINAL APCH SEGMENT. CAPT AND I BOTH FELT THIS WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.

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.