Does	this	story	sound	familiar?

I

t’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 the medication. There 

are two broad categories of medication reactions. One is a unique reaction 

based on an individual’s biological make-up. Most people don’t have such 

reactions but anyone can, given the right medication. Because of this, you 

should NEVER fl y after taking any medication that you have not taken 

before. It is not until after you have taken the medication that you will 

fi nd out whether you have this uncommon and unexpected reaction to the 

medication.
Third, consider the potential for adverse reactions, or side effects 

— unwanted reactions to medications. This type of reaction is quite 

common, and the manufacturer of the medication lists these on the label. 

You MUST carefully read all labeling. If you don’t have access to the label, 

then don’t fl y while using the medication. 

Look for such key words such as lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, 

or visual disturbance. If these side effects are listed or if the label contains 

a warning about operating motor vehicles or machinery, then you should 

not fl y while using the medication. 

Side effects can occur at any time, so even if you’ve taken the same 

medication in the past without experiencing side effects, they could still 

occur the next time. For this reason, you must never fl y after taking a 

medication with any of the above-noted side effects. 

Common	side-effects	of	frequently	used	medications				

If you must take over-the-counter medications,

• Read and follow the label directions.

• If the label warns of signifi cant side effects, do not fl y after taking 

the medication until at least two dosing intervals have passed. For 

example, if the directions say to take the medication every 6 hours, 

wait until at least 12 hours after the last dose to fl y.

• Remember that you should not fl y if the underlying condition that 

you are treating would make you unsafe if the medication fails to 

work.

• Never fl y after taking a new medication for the fi rst time.

• As with alcohol, medications may impair your ability to fl y—even 

though you feel fi ne.

• If you have questions about a medication, ask your aviation medical 

examiner.

• When in doubt, don’t fl y.
Problem Type	of	

Medication

Example Potential	side	effects

Colds, congestion, and allergies

- Decongestant- Antihistamine

Pseudoephedrine (Sudaphed) Diphenhydramine Benadryl)

Palpitations, jitteriness, anxiety, drowsiness

Cough - Cough 

suppressant

Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM)

Dizziness, drowsiness

Fever - Antipyretic Aspirin Ringing in ears, upset stomachPain - Analgesic Ibuprofen (Motrin) Dizziness, upset stomachNausea / Vomiting - Antinauseant Dimenhydranate (Dramamine) DrowsinessDiarrhea - Antidiarrheal Loperamide (Imodium) DrowsinessAcid refl ux - Antacid Ranitidine (Zantac) Headache, nauseaConstipation - Laxative Various Abdominal cramping, diarrheaOverweight - Diet pill Ephedrine (Ephedra) Palpitations, jitteriness, anxiety, 

heart attack, stroke

Insomnia - Sleeping pills Diphenhydramine (Tylenol PM) Prolonged drowsiness and 

impairment of reaction times

Common side-effects of frequently used medications
Prescription	Medications

When your treating physician prescribes a medication for you, be sure to 

ask about possible side effects and the safety of using the medication while 

fl ying. Since most of their patients are not pilots, many physicians don’t 

think about the special needs of pilots when they prescribe medication. 

You must also discuss the medical condition that is being treated. You 

may want to ask your physician to contact your aviation medical examiner 

to discuss the implications of fl ying with the medical condition and the 

medication.

When your pharmacy fi lls the prescription, let the pharmacist know that 

you are a pilot. Pharmacists are experts in medication side effects and can 

often provide advice that supplements the information that your physician 

gives you. The pharmacist will provide you with written information about 

your medication. You should treat this just like the label of an over-thecounter medication mentioned above. Read, understand, and follow the 

information and instructions that are given with the medication. Never 

hesitate to discuss possible problems with your physician, pharmacist, or 

aviation medical examiner.

The	Bottom	Line

What you must remember about medications

Sometimes...

...you will develop a medical condition that is not safe to fl y with. 

Whether you take a medication for the condition or not, you should wait 

to fl y until the condition is either gone or signifi cantly improved.

...you will have an ongoing (chronic) medical condition that your 

physician has prescribed 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.

...you will have a medical condition that makes you uncomfortable but 

does not impair your ability to safely fl y. If fl ying is very important, you 

may take either over-the-counter medications or prescription medications 

— within the guidelines suggested above.

Flying is important for many reasons. Not one of these reasons, however, is worth 

risking your life or the lives of those around you. Treat all medications with caution, 

and you’ll be around to become one of the “old” pilots.
MEDICAL	FACTS	FOR	PILOTS

Publication OK05-0005

Written by:

Steve Carpenter, MD

Prepared by:

Federal Aviation Administration Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Aerospace Medical Education Division 

To order copies of this brochure, contact:

FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute 

Shipping Clerk, AAM-400

P.O. Box 25082

Oklahoma City, OK 73125

Telephone: (405) 954-4831

Other	Pilot	Safety	Brochures	Available

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, 

learn about how to sign up for these courses that are offered at 14 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: www.faa.gov/pilots/safety

Number Title

AM-400-94/2 Alcohol and Flying: A Deadly 

 Combination

AM-400-95/2 Altitude Decompression Sickness

OK05-0270 Carbon Monoxide: A Deadly Threat

AM-400-03/2 Deep Vein Thrombosis and Travel

AM-400-91/1 Hypoxia: The Higher You Fly, the Less Air...

AM-400-98/3 Hearing and Noise in Aviation

AM-400-97/1 Introduction to Human Factors in Aviation

AM-400-92/1 Over the Counter Medications and Flying

AM-400-98/2 Pilot Vision

AM-400-95/1 Smoke!

AM-400-00/1 Spatial Disorientation: Visual Illusions

AM-400-03/1 Spatial Disorientation: Why You Shouldn’t 

 Fly By the Seat of Your Pants 

AM-400-01/1 Physiological Training Courses for Civil 

 Aviation Pilots

AM-400-05/1 Sunglasses for Pilots: Beyond the Image

OK05-0005