Narrative:

Medical emergency. Over lnk we were advised by our first flight attendant that we had a passenger in distress toward the rear of the aircraft and that they were gathering more information and they would get back to me. Over dsm we were advised that a physician on board was attending to the passenger and requested that we contact medlink. We in turn requested information outlined in our QRH. Upon receiving that information; I flew the aircraft and assigned my first officer to the task of contacting medlink and passing the information from medlink back to the flight attendants and the physician. It was determined that we could continue to destination provided that the passenger's condition did not worsen. Contacted medlink and at their direction gave the passenger oxygen; complimentary water and juice. Paramedics did meet the aircraft at destination; however; the passenger walked off the aircraft; talked to the paramedics and left without further attention. The passenger was on a number of medications and had had nothing to eat or drink in over 12 hours and we were over 2 hours into a 3 1/2 hour flight. I don't believe the average passenger understands how dry the air is at cruise altitude and how easily they can become dehydrated. It hasn't been an issue in the past because we provided complimentary beverages; and most people would drink them even though they did not feel thirsty. I am not against charging for beverages. But perhaps we could provide free non-bottled water to passenger to avoid dehydration and further medical complications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN CRUISE; A320 FLT CREW IS MADE AWARE OF A PASSENGER MEDICAL EMERGENCY. AFTER DISCUSSING WITH DISPATCH; COMPANY PHYSICIAN AND ONBOARD PHYSICIAN FLIGHT CONTINUED TO DESTINATION.

Narrative: MEDICAL EMER. OVER LNK WE WERE ADVISED BY OUR FIRST FLT ATTENDANT THAT WE HAD A PAX IN DISTRESS TOWARD THE REAR OF THE ACFT AND THAT THEY WERE GATHERING MORE INFO AND THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME. OVER DSM WE WERE ADVISED THAT A PHYSICIAN ON BOARD WAS ATTENDING TO THE PAX AND REQUESTED THAT WE CONTACT MEDLINK. WE IN TURN REQUESTED INFO OUTLINED IN OUR QRH. UPON RECEIVING THAT INFO; I FLEW THE ACFT AND ASSIGNED MY FO TO THE TASK OF CONTACTING MEDLINK AND PASSING THE INFO FROM MEDLINK BACK TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PHYSICIAN. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO DEST PROVIDED THAT THE PAX'S CONDITION DID NOT WORSEN. CONTACTED MEDLINK AND AT THEIR DIRECTION GAVE THE PAX OXYGEN; COMPLIMENTARY WATER AND JUICE. PARAMEDICS DID MEET THE ACFT AT DEST; HOWEVER; THE PAX WALKED OFF THE ACFT; TALKED TO THE PARAMEDICS AND LEFT WITHOUT FURTHER ATTN. THE PAX WAS ON A NUMBER OF MEDICATIONS AND HAD HAD NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK IN OVER 12 HRS AND WE WERE OVER 2 HRS INTO A 3 1/2 HR FLT. I DON'T BELIEVE THE AVERAGE PAX UNDERSTANDS HOW DRY THE AIR IS AT CRUISE ALT AND HOW EASILY THEY CAN BECOME DEHYDRATED. IT HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST BECAUSE WE PROVIDED COMPLIMENTARY BEVERAGES; AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD DRINK THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY DID NOT FEEL THIRSTY. I AM NOT AGAINST CHARGING FOR BEVERAGES. BUT PERHAPS WE COULD PROVIDE FREE NON-BOTTLED WATER TO PAX TO AVOID DEHYDRATION AND FURTHER MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.