pre-hypertension

[Unregistered]

Over the last 12-18 months my BP has been slowly creeping up. Most of my life it has been 120/80 or less. If it reaches the point of being actual hypertension (I think it's 140/90?), what route should I take with my personal physician to ensure the protection of my medical?

 

[Unregistered]

If you are a member of AOPA go to this page
http://www.aopa.org/members/files/medical/hyprtens.html

 

[MSmith]

Your physician will probably want to treat your hypertension long before it fails the FAA standard. At that point, you'll have a few hoops to jump through the next time you renew your medical (EKG, letter from doctor summarizing medication and some sample readings, blood test results). All of that is documented in the link Unregistered posted.

I had to jump those hoops for my initial medical. The hardest part was getting the doctor to write the letter.

 

[Unregistered]

Does this need to be reported at the time treatment begins? or only at the time of the next medical?

/edit - Right after I asked this, I looked at the AOPA link. It states that -

"At the time of the first application for medical certification after starting blood pressure medications, you should have available for the aviation medical examiner a current cardiovascular evaluation that includes:"

Is there anything that needs to be reported prior to the medical? I couldn't find that specifically stated.

 

[Skip Miller]

Is there anything that needs to be reported prior to the medical? I couldn't find that specifically stated.

No. The general rule is self certification between AME visits. If your MD and you think that flying is safe for you, go fly.

Am I correct that a heart attack is an exception to this "rule", even if you and your MD think it is OK?

-Skip

 

[bbchien]

Over the last 12-18 months my BP has been slowly creeping up. Most of my life it has been 120/80 or less. If it reaches the point of being actual hypertension (I think it's 140/90?), what route should I take with my personal physician to ensure the protection of my medical?

You are self certifying on best adive of your treating physician until next medical.

Within 90 days before your next medical, obtain the following:
(1)A decent looking EKG
(2)Fasting Cholesterol, HDL/LDL, Creatinine, K+, and glucose
(3)A letter from your treating doc saying you have no side effects of treatment, no known coronary disease, and your BP is well controlled. If he can't say the statement about no evident coronary disease, you need a 12 minute treadmill run without ischemia. (This last is a moderatly big deal).

If they're all OK, any AME can issue for two years.

 

[Unregistered]

Thank you doctor.

Boy, once I hit my mid 40's all kinds of things started falling apart. I don't fall into the profiles for these things, they just happen.
Would a current SI for sleep apnea and 40mg Zocor have any effect on the situation? ( Family history of high cholesterol, no family history of heart disease. )

P.S. - I don't know anything about the 12 minute treadmill protocol, but as a runner I'd probably take it as a challenge.

 

[bbchien]

Thank you doctor.

Boy, once I hit my mid 40's all kinds of things started falling apart. I don't fall into the profiles for these things, they just happen.
Would a current SI for sleep apnea and 40mg Zocor have any effect on the situation? ( Family history of high cholesterol, no family history of heart disease. )

P.S. - I don't know anything about the 12 minute treadmill protocol, but as a runner I'd probably take it as a challenge.

No connection to the Sleep Apnea SI. Long ago hypertension was an SI, there got to be so many of them FAA made this an office issue with a new set of standards.

Human life expectancy is really 50 years. Remember, 125 years ago when Pa Ingalls died in Brookings SD nobody thought he was young. He was an old man at 52. Died of pertussus (who's seen a case of pertussis in memory?). Now we push this back, that back, control hypertension, control infectious diseases, operate on your Myocardial Infarction, interrupt your stroke, etc. and everyone thinks we should live 80 years.....

What to have for breakfast? How about Toast and Lipitor? Seriously, Zocor is FAA OK. I think most of us should be on one of those....