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Does this story sound familiar?
It’s Sunday morning, the last day of a three-day trip. You have four hours of fl ying ahead of you to get back home, but something about the air conditioner last night has left you with stuffy nose and sinuses this morning. You know from your training and experience that fl ying with congested upper airways is not a good thing. As it turns out, one of the others on the trip has some new over-the-counter sinus pills that are “guaranteed” to unstop your breathing passages and let you fl y without any worries about the congestion. Should you take the medication? Another scenario
You and your spouse are on the second leg of a fi ve-leg, cross-country fl ight. While visiting relatives, you stayed up late at the party they threw in your honor, ate too much, and the next morning your stomach feels sort of queasy. Your spouse, a non-pilot, offers you a common motion-sickness pill prescribed by her doctor. Should you take the medication? Get the facts
Just like any other decision (equipment, weather, etc.) that you must make when you fl y, you should know all the facts before you can answer this question. There are several things that you need to know and take into account before you make the go/no-go decision. Add these to your check list: First, consider the underlying condition
that you are treating. What will be the
consequences if the medication doesn’t work
or if it wears off before the fl ight is over?
A good general rule to follow is not to fl y
if you must depend on the medication to
keep the fl ight safe. In other words, if the
untreated condition is one that would prevent
safe fl ying, then you shouldn’t fl y until the
condition improves — whether you take the
medication or not.
Second, you must consider your reaction to
• Remember that you should not fl y if the the medication. There are two broad categories
underlying condition that you are treating of medication reactions. One is a unique reaction based on an individual’s biological make-up. Most people don’t have such reactions but • Never fl y after taking a new medication anyone can, given the right medication. Because for the fi rst time until at least fi ve maximal of this, you should NEVER fl y after taking any dosing intervals have passed and no side medication that you have not taken before. It is not until after you have taken the medication • As with alcohol, medications may impair that you will fi nd out whether you have this your ability to fl y—even though you feel • If you have questions about a medication, Third, consider the potential for adverse
reactions, or side effects — unwanted reactions
• When in doubt, safety fi rst—don’t fl y.
to medications. This type of reaction is quite common, and the manufacturer of the Prescription Medications
medication lists these on the label. You MUST When your treating physician prescribes a carefully read all labeling. If you don’t have medication for you, be sure to ask about possible access to the label, then don’t fl y while using the side effects and the safety of using the medication while fl ying. Since most of their patients are Look for such key words as lightheadedness, not pilots, many physicians don’t think about dizziness, drowsiness, or visual disturbance. If the special needs of pilots when they prescribe these side effects are listed or if the label contains medication. You must also discuss the medical any warning about operating motor vehicles or
condition that is being treated. You may want machinery, then you should not fl y while using
to ask your physician to contact your aviation medical examiner to discuss the implications Side effects can occur at any time, so even if of fl ying with the medical condition and the you’ve taken the same medication in the past without experiencing side effects, they could still When your pharmacy fi lls the prescription, occur the next time. For this reason, you must let the pharmacist know that you are a pilot. never fl y after taking a medication with any of Pharmacists are experts in medication side effects and can often provide advice that supplements Side effect concerns of frequently
the information that your physician gives you. The pharmacist will provide you with written used OTC medications
information about your medication. You should If you must take over-the-counter medications, treat this just like the label of an over-the-counter • Read and follow the label directions.
medication mentioned above. Read, understand, • If the label warns of signifi cant side effects, and follow the information and instructions that do not fl y after taking the medication until are given with the medication. Never hesitate to at least fi ve maximal dosing intervals have discuss possible problems with your physician, passed. For example, if the directions say pharmacist, or aviation medical examiner.
to take the medication every 4-6 hours, wait until at least 30 hours after the last dose to fl y.
The Bottom Line
…you will have a medical condition that makes you uncomfortable but does not impair your What you must remember about medications ability to safely fl y. If fl ying is very important, Sometimes…
you may take either over-the-counter medications …you will develop a medical condition that or prescription medications — within the is not safe to fl y with. Whether you take a medication for the condition or not, you should Flying is important for many reasons. Not one wait to fl y until the condition is either gone or of these reasons, however, is worth risking your life or the lives of those around you. Treat all …you will have an ongoing (chronic) medical medications with caution, and you’ll be around condition that your physician has prescribed to become one of the “old” pilots.
a medication to treat. You should discuss the medical condition and treatment with your physician, pharmacist, and aviation medical examiner and make your fl ying decision based on their advice.
Common side effects of frequently used OTC medications Potential side effects
Medication
Palpitations, jitteriness, anxiety, heart attack, stroke MEDICAL FACTS FOR PILOTS
Publication OK05-0005 (Rev. 6/10)
Written by:
Prepared by:
To order copies of this brochure, contact:
Other Pilot Safety Brochures Available
Number Title
AM-400-94-(rev. 6/97)
Aviation Safety Courses Available Through the FAA AM-400-91/1 Hypoxia: The Higher You Fly, the Less Air.
OK-06-002 Spatial Disorientation: Why You Shouldn’t Fly by the Seat of Your Pants To view these pilot and passenger safety brochures, visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s Web Site: www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures Physiological Training Classes for Pilots
If you are interested in taking a one-day aviation physiological training course with altitude chamber and vertigo demonstrations or a one-day survival course, fi nd out how to sign up for these courses that are offered at 13 locations across the U.S. by visiting this FAA Web site: www.faa.gov/pilots/training/airman_education/ For more pilot and traveler safety information, see:

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