AN A319 PAX FALLS ILL. PIC LOWERS ACFT'S ALT AND CABIN ALT; PROCEEDS ON TO DEST AFTER CONFERRING WITH DISPATCH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANT PAX PRIOR TO LNDG IAD.

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PAX; MS X; AGE 25; BECAME LIGHT-HEADED; FAINTED; RECOVERED AND BECAME NAUSEOUS. RPTED BY FLT ATTENDANTS WITHIN MINS OF MS X'S FAINTING SPELL. A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT; MS Y; TENDED AND ATTEMPTED TO ASSESS THE CONDITION OF MS X FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINS WHILE PLTS COMMUNICATED ALL KNOWN FACTS TO DISPATCHER. AFTER APPROX 15-20 MINS OF ASSESSMENT; I TALKED DIRECTLY TO MS Y; INDICATED WE COULD LAND WITHIN 20 MINS IN CLEVELAND OR DETROIT OR CONTINUE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 45-50 MINS TO IAD AND SHE INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO CONTINUE TO IAD. SHE EXPLAINED THAT MS X HAD CONSUMED A COMBINATION OF DRUGS; SOME OF WHICH CONTAINED CODEINE; THAT MADE HER ILL. I OFFERED TO DECREASE THE CABIN ALT BECAUSE IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE HIGHER ALT MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO MS X'S POOR CONDITION. MS X'S CONDITION IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY AFTER WE DSNDED FROM FL370 (CABIN ALT OF 8000 FT) TO FL290 (CABIN ALT OF ABOUT 5000 FT). WE CONTINUED TO IAD WITH EMER MEDICAL ATC EXPEDITED TREATMENT; LANDED AND WERE MET WITH MEDICAL TECHNICIANS UPON ARR AT THE GATE. THE PAX CONSUMED OXYGEN AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS USED THE EMER MEDICAL KIT.