Class 1 issue but CAA on ball

[SHOGUN]

After my recent Class 1 medical with my local AME of 20yrs he announced my ECG had failed on his machine showing "abnormal" and that under EASA rules I was grounded (my cert had 45days to run) . The AME was directly off on holiday and I was simply handed a note of the CAA's tel number ! I then received a letter explaining the possible protocols and a copy of my ECG in the post the next day . I am over 60 and consider myself pretty fit with no known issues or medication etc taken for over 15yrs.
As a part time survey Pilot now worrying about my previously unknown heart condition and my income I contacted the CAA Medical Dept.
They were absolutely brilliant - the CAA's Cardioligist checked my EGC the same day (I e.mailed them a copy as a glitch with their IT system had caused my ecg to be returned to my AME who was by then abroad)- he confirmed 'no issue' and the Cheif CAA Examiner ok'd the new certificate the following day (due to the online IT hiccup twixt AME & CAA it had become further complicated) . The CAA even phoned me back to confirm all of this good news in order to avoid any further worry on my part.
This all happened within a few days and the reason I write this is from my own experience I now realise the stress created by potentially spurious ECG issues (mine had read 'Inferior Farction' ie a previous heart attack) -- I hope my experience of the CAA will possibly give a little faith and comfort to those finding themselves in a similar situation. Well done to the CAA Medical Dept. from a very grateful pilot !

[Radgirl]

Yet another example of an individual being stressed unecessarily. The issue of AMEs not being able to read ECGs but relying on the algorithm that most doctors totally ignore has come up time after time after time. I was told one AME failed three pilots in one morning. One was a famous sportsman in his 30s who had a license from his sport...

Why does the Belgrano continue to allow people to act as AMEs and charge pilots if they cant read an ECG? In my day every medical student had to be able to read an ECG. It was part of our examination

[Ulster]

The issue of AMEs not being able to read ECGs but relying on the algorithm that most doctors totally ignore has come up time after time after time.

Why does the Belgrano continue to allow people to act as AMEs and charge pilots if they cant read an ECG?

Sorry, but it doesn't quite work like that in the UK ! I thought Shogun's account was very fair and accurate. The thing that surprised me was how quickly he managed to get a reaction from the normally somnolent Belgrano ! He must be a persuasive fellow !

As AME's in the UK our terms of appointment stipulate (inter alia) that we must (1) use an ECG machine with approved interpretive software ( mine is the MAC1200ST ), and (2) that we must flag up ANY machine statements other than "normal" for Cardiologist Over-reading at the CAA.

It may be obvious to me that there is no problem because I have known the chap for over 20 years, and every single ECG has been identical, but in that case I STILL have to flag it as abnormal for consultant over-reading !

The real problem comes when trying to decide whether to allow flying to continue while the ECG trace is sent in and is being over-read. I'm just wondering if in the case that started this discussion the "abnormal" statement was associated with a change in the trace, which the AME had NOT seen previously ? If so, his action was probably justified.

Still glad to hear that it was all resolved pretty quickly ! :ok:

[Radgirl]

Thanks Ulster your explanation is very helpful, but I still think my criticism stands. The machine diagnosis is really not worth looking at IMHO. I read up to ten ECGs a day and perhaps 40% are abnormal based on the algorithm but in fact normal on reading.

There is no problem with having to show the CAA any ECG with an abnormal report if that is what they wish, but I still think the AME as you say should be able to identify the ECG is not abnormal by reading it and so allow the pilot to continue to fly and indeed reassure him it is normal. My criticism is that time and again posters say they have been grounded or frightened by a normal ECG

I don't frighten my patients - well not by the ECG - so why can't the customers expect the same level of service for their money from an AME? We are not talking about the once a year borderline ECG but the normal ECG with the algorithm stating heart attack