Dropped heartbeat?

[covec]

How bad is a "dropped heartbeat"? ECG is OK....

I have a further question....like most of my contemporary RAF aircrew peers, I will shortly be facing the option to sign my life away for another 14 years or so, in return for a bl**dy good pension at age 55. I could leave in 3 years time...but...I have had cancer (now gone) & now this "dropped heartbeat".

Perhaps given my medical history, I would be better off giving up the dream to fly for an airline & stay with the RAF....any Docs. out there willing to offer some advice?

Cheers.

[Flyin'Dutch']

C,

Not sure what you mean by a dropped heartbeat.

Can you tell us/me a bit more.

IF worried about the future you could do worse than staying put. Just looking at things from the outside civil commercial aviation is currently not the place to launch into if you are looking for financial security.

But there is obviously more to the equation than money!

FD

[Circuit Basher]

Medically unqualified posting follows...... !

I didn't understand what was meant by 'Dropped Heartbeat' - I was guessing at it either being a reduced pulse rate or occasionally 'missing a beat'. Did a search on Google and found
this Web site (http://www.medhelp.org/forums/cardio/messages/32145a.html), which tends to suggest that this is a cardiac arrhythmia you're referring to.

Wife is on beta blockers (for blood pressure) and has been for a couple of years now - if she fails to take one now, then she has cardiac arrhythmia, which is disconcerting, but not life-threatening. Assuming the military vets are happy to maintain your A1 category (I assume so, or are you a truckie flying multi-crew??), then you may be as well serving Her Britannic Majesty for the rest of your natural. Mother in Law had heart valve replacement surgery last year and finished up with arrhythmia which was resolved by fitting pacemaker.

Looking at JAR FCL3, it says: JAR–FCL 3.145 Cardiovascular system –
Rhythm/conduction
disturbances
(a) Applicants with significant disturbance of supraventricular rhythm, including sinoatria dysfunction, whether intermittent or established, shall be assessed as unfit. A fit assessment may be considered by the AMS in compliance with paragraph 8 Appendix 1 to Subpart B.
(b) Applicants with asymptomatic sinus bradycardia or sinus tachycardia may be assessed as fit in the absence of underlying abnormality.
(c) Applicants with asymptomatic isolated uniform atrial or ventricular ectopic complexes need not be assessed as unfit. Frequent or complex forms require full cardiological evaluation in compliance with paragraph 8 Appendix 1 to Subpart B.
(d) In the absence of any other abnormality, applicants with incomplete bundle branch block or stable left axis deviation may be assessed as fit.
(e) Applicants with complete right or left bundle branch block require cardiological evaluation on first presentation and subsequently in compliance with paragraph 8 Appendix 1 to Subpart B.
(f) Applicants with broad and/or narrow complex tachycardias shall be assessed as unfit. A fit assessment may be considered by the AMS subject to compliance with paragraph 8 Appendix 1 to Subpart B.
(g) Applicants with an endocardial pacemaker shall be assessed as unfit. A fit assessment may be considered by the AMS subject to compliance with paragraph 8 Appendix 1 to Subpart B.

IMHO, I'd get your SMO to advise you on the options - I couldn't really see that it's possible to give a prognosis on the basis of your post.

[covec]

Thanks for the replies. By "dropped beat" I mean out of say three pulses, one might get "missed" such that the Doc gets to hear two....

Just looked at some sites - I definately have to change something! I drink Tea/Coffee like no tomorrow, instruct (=stress!) & am currently studying towards a degree so get to kip with a buzzing head, normally!

I think that if the CAA want to see me, so be it, I'm fairly sure even as a non-medical person that my lifestyle is the obvious factor here...

[QDMQDMQDM]

Probably what you're experiencing are ventricular ectopic beats which are a completely benign phenomenon. Go and get yourself checked out and the anxiety almost certainly relieved.

[Flyin'Dutch']

C,

QDM is correct. From the history and the fact that you state that neither your Flightsurgeon was concerned nor the that the ECG was deemed to be abnormal it seems most likely that you have these Ventricular Extra Systoles.

Rather than missing a beat these are extra beats of just the big chambers just before you were due to have a 'normal beat' (which starts in your natural pacemaker (the sinus node) and then travels to the small chambers and subsequently to the big chambers)

After you have had a VES there will be a compensatory pause. That is what you feel as the missed beat.

Thereafter your heart will continue in its 'normal sequence'until the next VES.

Everyone has VESs, most people don't notice them.

HTH

FD