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Saved at 37,000 feet
A British passenger has become the first known person to suffer a heart attack and have it treated in-flight.
According to a report in The Times, 50-year-old Stephen Clarke was travelling from the US to the UK when the heart attack happened – but the airline crew did not need to ask if there was a doctor on board because the BMI British Midland flight was equipped with life-saving equipment that was installed some 10 months back.
Mr Clarke was quickly wired up to a mobile device that monitored blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature and blood oxygen levels. All the relevant information was sent to doctors in Phoenix, who recommended crew administer a special spray that dilated the patient’s arteries until the plane landed at Manchester Airport.
The stewardess who carried out the procedure told The Times: “The equipment is surprisingly easy to use and I’d say we had attached it to Mr Clarke and were getting readings in less than five minutes. I am just so glad the equipment may have helped to save his life.” Mr Clarke, for his part, added: “I think I probably got faster and better medical attention in the air than if I had had the heart attack at home.”
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