PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - American Airlines Pilot Dies in Flight BOS-PHX
Old 9th Oct 2015, 21:38
  #66 (permalink)  
tdracer
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Everett, WA
Age: 68
Posts: 4,418
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No, but you do know who is post-bypass-opp and (per definition) do not know who has unknown issues. The former is, however, a far larger risk than the average pilot.
I had a heart attack when I was 42 - totally out of the blue. I was fit, non-smoker, exercised regularly, ate right, etc. Yet one of my cardiac arteries was completely blocked (when I told a physicians assistant who was a racing buddy about it, he was shocked - he said they call that particular blockage "the widow maker"). A little roto-rooter work and I was good as new - in fact a few years ago I did what's called a 'stress echo' and the cardiologist told me he could see no evidence I'd ever had a heart attack. I was incredibly lucky.
But here's the thing - now we know and keep an eye on it. I'd argue that I'm actually at lesser risk of sudden cardiac arrest than most people my age because we're actively monitoring the issue.


Unfortunately for the pilot in question, nothing is 100% - sometimes happens.
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