Echocardiogram

[London Girl]

Went for the dreaded Class 1 last week and passed everything but the ECG. I've been asked to go and see a specialist to get an Echocardiogram done.

The thing is, the CAA doc told me this is because of a heart murmur, but at my Class 2 last year I was told I had an irregularity in the form of an AV block and it was nothing to worry about!

Well now I am seriously worried - could I have both? I am due to start my ATPL this October and will be totally devastated if I dont get the Class 1.

Can anyone offer any advice or has anyone been through the same? What is the liklihood of me not being able to get the certificate?

Any thoughts on this much appreciated.....

[feet dry]

Afternoon London Girl

Do not know if this is any help but here goes..

A couple of years back I got my Class I for an ultimately unsuccessful Bristows application (boo hoo)....

Anywho, my ECG showed an anomaly which upon investigation (in the form of a chest X-ray) the cause of the anomalous trace (I think) was termed a Right Axial Displacement of my heart. Probably caused by a severe chest trauma (or writing off my car as I prefer to refer to it), an entirely benign condition (if that is the correct word).

The point of this rambling is that an ECG may well show anomalies and I guess any variation from the 'standard' expected for a particular demographic will require investigation.

The CAA doc signed off against the Class I and I am yet to drop down dead due to my heart being in the wrong position.

p.s. can you tell I enjoy using the word anomaly?

[Power Up]

During my class 1, there was an anomoly on the ECG.
After not eating since breakfast ECG was the last test, anomoly appeared on 2 attempts. Doctor said wait until end of day and try again when I'm hungry - apparently heart beat settles (was already starving) - which we did, again anomoly.
Was then asked to do the exrcise ECG (treadmill at walking pace with inreasing incline until just before the moment you begin to run) was then informed that it did not repeat, issued class 1, still have no idea what the initial concern was, but I'm still around.

[Flyin'Dutch']

ECGs in medicals are used as a screening test and therefore come up with false positives (indicate something may be wrong but on closer looking all is OK) and false negatives (indicate all is well but have heart attack on the way out!)

Without knowing more details it is impossible to say whether you are going to be OK but as others have already said, you likely will be.

The idea behind medicals is that

1. you want to ensure that people can reach the standards which are deemed necessary to do the task of flying safely and

2. try to make sure that the people flying aircraft will remain fit to do so for the foreseeable (is duration of validity of your medical)

Ensuring the first bit is probably the easiest as you can just measure and see if people make the grade. The second one is a lot more difficult as it means that you have to start predicting things on the basis of some parameters, as you are dealing with individuals rather than large groups it makes for a not so easy process.

FD

[Glen Livid]

I'm 42, flying for 20 years, just thought I had my career set up nicely for retirement at 60. Had my class 1 renewal two weeks ago. ECG showed up an abnormality - occasional premature ventricular complexes (not had before) and sinus bradicardia (slow heart rate - always had) and I'm due to have a follow-up exercise ECG tomorrow with a cardiologist. So it's wait and see for me. As a result I was discussing ECGs with my co-pilot yesterday.

His initial ECG for class 1 issue showed abnormalities which transpired to be purely due the unusual shape of his heart. He required 3-D x-rays and ultrasound. Three men in white coats at Gatwick then scratched their heads for a couple of hours and passed him fit. Aparently there is considerable natural variation in the heart shape which can affect ECG traces.

I believe the Echocardiogram you talk about uses ultrasound for analysis so may be looking at blood flow characteristics. Although this sort of thing is deeply worrying for pilots, it seems that the CAA are generally over cautious in their approach. Best of luck.

[727 exec]

I had my regular ECG with my AME...fine.

A few weeks later, the letter from the CAA arrived mentioning words like 'possible cause for concern' and 'if you don't come in and see us in the next few weeks then your medical is invalid'...panic / sweating and perusal of the situations vacant pages of the local paper followed.

Saw the ECG specialist, had tests and spent ages on the treadmill. Finally told 'you're just one of those people whose Z line goes the wrong way - perfectly normal - we just had to be sure'.

I'm no Doctor, but please have faith in them, and also I have personal experience of the CAA medical department doing their best to keep a Pilot flying.

Oh - and smile...it'll make it seem better :D

[BusyB]

A "heart murmur' might well be a slight leakage through valves in the heart for any number of reasons, this is not necessarily of any great importance. Many of my colleagues are classed as having "murmurs" and have no problem keeping their class 1.

Good Luck.

[London Girl]

Well thanks for all the replies - had the echo yesterday and all fine (added quite a bit onto the cost of the medical though!) - something was mentioned about a valve causing turbulent blood flow around the heart, which sounds as the murmur. Can't remember all the medical lingo as I was too intent on going over those fantastic words "all ok, we can issue your certificate".

So back on track, got myself a little bit worked up there!

[likair]

Hello ppl,

A few days ago I went to do my last medical test for my 2nd Class Med. Cert. It was very dreadful before entering every particular test, especially the eyesight. But it was all ok except for the ECG. The one that expected to lack performance went quite good (eysight) and the one which i really took forgranted was the one which worried me most!! That's life :\

After the doctor attached me the patches and saw the graphical results from the machine I saw his strange expression on his face. My heart really made a tick!!

He told me that he's going to check further with a stethoscope. After changing varies positions on my chest with his diaphram he told me you have a heart murmer :sad: My heart was also slightly enlarged. I was told that I would have to have an echocardiogram. I am slightly worried that my pilot ambitions are out of the window, so booked the echo for the next 2 weeks.

P.S. The graph showed a steep "hill" which normally at my age (21) must be quite small. This showed that probably I have a heart murmer.

Do I have to worry a lot about it? Is it normal? Can this limit me to gain Class 2 or further on the Class 1 Medical Cert.
Any comments?
Preoccupied

L|kA|r:confused: