Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
 

I have been diagnosed with this condition (in the left ventricle) and, according to my research this condition is not certifiable for an FAA first class medical.


My Cardiologist tells me it's a very mild case and very rare (lucky me) only 1-2 mm thicker but that its not going to go away.


Strangely enough I used to have LVH (left ventricular hypertrophy) which I managed to resolve through better lifestyle and exercise but then it 'morphed' into this AHC


Cardiologist seems to think it may have been there all along but 'masked'
by the LVH


Anyone have any insight ? I have checked with ALPA aeromedical and they say not one pilot has been granted a 1st class medical with this condition.


I am out on medical leave with a different issue anyway but still hoped to return if I could resolve it and this is rather depressing news.

Don't give up, i am the first person in aviation to go through it with my Heart history.

i got there eventually, although now the FAA are being a lot more difficult about it than the CAA who are being great, been flying commercially for over 10 years.

I have been reading up on apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM) and understand that it is genetic and there is a 50% chance of it being passed on to children. Anyone diagnosed with AHCM is told to advise their siblings to get themselves tested. Now, imagine that the one sibling is an airline pilot with a Class 1 medical who has no symptoms whatsoever. The Class 1 would have required a regular ECG which also will have not shown any problems. The ECG is the first test for AHCM but this is normally followed up with an ultrasound.

Having invested a lot of money in a career which is going along very successfully, it is very tempting not to tell the sibling pilot, or, if he is told, he must be tempted to keep the very small risk of developing serious symptoms to himself.

In this case does anybody know if the ECG and lack of any symptoms is a justifiable reason for not taking this any further.