Aviat Space Envir Md
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Jan 2014
Case ReportsManaging acute coronary syndrome during medical air evacuation from a remote location at sea.
Coronary emergencies at sea requiring air evacuation are not uncommon. On board a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier while in a remote location, an active duty sailor suffered a myocardial infarction. A medical evacuation by helicopter was necessary. Transfer proved difficult due to the ship's location, poor flying conditions, and the patient's deteriorating condition. This case stresses the importance of expeditious diagnosis, treatment, and air transfer to shore-based facilities capable of providing definitive coronary care. ⋯ This case highlights the need to keep a high index of suspicion when patients complain of chest pain, regardless of age. It is of the utmost importance that individuals capable of thinking and acting quickly are assigned to medical evacuation teams, and that they continue to train regularly, as coronary events at sea are not uncommon.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Dec 2013
ReviewMilitary aircrew and noise-induced hearing loss: prevention and management.
Modern-day high performance aircraft are more powerful, more efficient, and, unfortunately, frequently produce high noise levels, resulting in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in military aircrew. Military pilots are required to perform many flight duties correctly in the midst of many challenges that may affect mission completion as well as aircraft and aircrew safety. ⋯ As it is not possible to control the source of the noise without compromising the efficiency of the engine and aircraft, protecting the aircrew from hazards of excessive noise and treating NIHL are of extreme importance. In this article we discuss various personal hearing protection devices and their efficacy, and pharmacological agents for prevention and management of NIHL.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Nov 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialCognition at altitude: impairment in executive and memory processes under hypoxic conditions.
The negative effect of hypoxia on cognitive function has been well described. However, less has been published regarding cognitive dysfunction resulting from hypoxia produced by exposure to different altitudes. ⋯ The results of this study suggest that electronic versions of these tests may be useful in screening for acute symptoms of hypoxia and could provide insight into how discrete cognitive processes become impaired with oxygen deprivation at various altitudes. Given that these tests also assess neuropsychological functioning, our results allow for inferences to be made about the effects of hypoxia on human brain functioning.
-
Humans will eventually return to the Moon and thus there is a need for a ground-based analogue to enable the study of physiological adaptations to lunar gravity. An important unanswered question is whether or not living on the lunar surface will provide adequate loading of the musculoskeletal system to prevent or attenuate the bone loss that is seen in microgravity. Previous simulations have involved tilting subjects to an approximately 9.5 degrees angle to achieve a lunar gravity component parallel to the long-axis of the body. However, subjects in these earlier simulations were not weight-bearing, and thus these protocols did not provide an analogue for load on the musculoskeletal system. ⋯ The proposed analogue would appear to be an acceptable simulation of lunar gravity and deserves further exploration in studies of longer duration.
-
Aviat Space Envir Md · Nov 2013
Hot-air balloon tours: crash epidemiology in the United States, 2000-2011.
Hot-air balloon tours are FAR Part 91-governed balloon rides conducted for compensation or hire. Part 91, General Aviation, in general involves the least strict federal regulations and accounts for the majority of aviation crashes and fatalities. ⋯ The incidence of morbidity and mortality is high among hot-air balloon tour crashes, and the proportion of balloon crashes attributed to paid rides appears to have increased over time. In addition to examining the role of restraint systems, personal protective equipment, and power line emergency procedures in ballooning, injury prevention efforts should target factors such hard landings, object strikes, gondola instability, and occupant ejections, which are associated with balloon injuries and deaths. Crash outcomes may also improve with vehicle engineering that enables balloons themselves to absorb impact forces.