Assessment of Passenger Health Before Air Travel

The number of the passenger using air travel keeps increasing every year. Inconsistency with an increasing number of passengers without medical conditions, the number of passengers with acute or chronic medical conditions increases inevitably. The attitude of commercial aircrafts providing passenger transportation during air travel is associated with altered internal cab pressure, humidity rate, partial oxygen pressure when compared with sea level pressure and medium. Alterations in the internal cab during a flight are usually well tolerated by healthy passengers, however might harm passengers with acute or chronic medical conditions. Around 65 % of health conditions emerging during flights are related to pre-existing medical conditions. Passengers with medical conditions are not fully aware of the potential influences of flight on their acute or chronic conditions. However, treatment options are substantially limited in case of an emergent medical condition during flights. Evaluation and clearance of patients with medical conditions before the flight by physicians experienced in-flight medicine is the key step for elimination or minimizing risks during the flight. Particularly patients with a history of recent hospitalization, injury, surgery, unstable conditions related to chronic health conditions, acute conditions, need for oxygen support, need for stretcher should be thoroughly evaluated before the flight. The present review aimed to investigate preflight medical screening of patients with medical conditions and their risks associated with air travel.