Does the Medical check cholesteral?

TheWife

TheWife

New Member
So.....to qualify for the medical (I think you need a first class right?) are they going to check cholesterol? What if it's high? What if you need medicince? And what if your triglicerides are high? What is a trigliceride any way?
 
No. They do not check your cholesterol.

If you are on Zocor or any of the blood-thinning meds, then there might be a problem. Any heart condition is grounds for losing the medical until it can be remedied.... if it can be remedied.
 
Blood thinning medicine is for blood pressure problems right? So if the cholesterol can get back down w/ diet and exercize there won't be a problem? What if there is evidence on your insurance and medical informatin that you have sought treatment for cholesterol?
 
Like I said, I might be wrong, but I BELIEVE Zocor and other medicines to help reduce Cholesterol, are also blood-thinning agents.

High blood pressure is an entirely different ball game.

But, yes, diet and exercise can lower cholesterol substantially.
 
FAA Medical, no. Delta medical, yes. Would it be a disqualifier at an airline medical for pre-employment? No idea, but if it was, you wouldn't specifically find out.

Kind of weird.
 
Oh, I didn't know they had different medicals. So would Delta foind out insurance or Dr records that showed treatment or advice for cholesterol? What about life insurance applications? Is all that info shared? Is it only a problem if it's current, or if it's "EVER"?
 
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So would Delta foind out insurance or Dr records that showed treatment or advice for cholesterol?

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Probably not.

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What about life insurance applications?

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When picked up some term life insurance, I did a bunch of tests and gave lots of blood so I figure that if you had high cholesterol, it might influence your insurance rates. I dunno. I guess it really depends on what the 'affliction du jour' is with the health world.

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Is all that info shared?

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I really don't think so.

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Is it only a problem if it's current, or if it's "EVER"?

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Probably only if it's a current problem may an airline care IF they care at all.

The medical requirements are kind of murky. They test you for lots of things, but they'll never disapprove you based on medical conditions as long as you can pass an FAA class one medical *wink* *wink*.
 
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When picked up some term life insurance, I did a bunch of tests and gave lots of blood so I figure that if you had high cholesterol, it might influence your insurance rates.

[/ QUOTE ] That's what happened. The rate went up. And so did my over active brain. LOL. So I worried that it would be like "public record" that the rates went up because of high cholesterol, and that it would impact the medical. SOUNDS like it will ok though!
 
Basically, they're taking a bet that you're going to live until the end of your term.

An airline just wants you to at least hit 60, medical hassle free, and then you could conk out on your 60th year plus one day birthday and they could care less.

They may, however, send flowers!
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Not sure on specifics, but there are cholesterol medications that are approved by the FAA. Just make sure its not on the "bad boy list" and getting a first class should not be a problem.
 
Actually, I think it's illegal for companies to look up that kinda information (medical records) without permission...


Regardless of medicals, the FAA, or whatever.... Nobody can argue it isn't a good idea to lower someone's cholestoral anyway
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We will definitely get it lowered! I just wanted to make sure the record of it wasn't going to blow everything!!
 
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Actually, I think it's illegal for companies to look up that kinda information (medical records) without permission...


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yes, it is illegal to do so - its called HIPPA (health information patient privacy act i believe) and every medical type establishment you go to since it's been inacted is entitled to give you a copy of their privacy information and some places you have to sign and acknowledge that you have recieved the info. But HIPPA basically states that your health info can not be divulged without your consent except in cases of court order or something else i think.
 
I know lots of pilots with elevated cholesterol, including my current boss. The lipid-reducing agents are almost all approved by the FAA ... I specifically know that Mevacor, Pravachol, and Zocor are OK. The newest and best cholesterol medication, Crestor, is not yet FAA-approved but probably will be in August or September. The lipid medications have been found not to offer aviation-adverse side effects. Crestor hasn't been approved only because the FAA has a policy of not approving a medication until it has been on the market for a year. Crestor came out last August, so it should be approved this summer.

The FAA does not do blood work as part of any medical class. A company physical (like Doug's at Delta or the new-hire "astronaut medical" at Eagle) may do so. A friend of mine who went through the Eagle process said they sent him the results of his blood work a few days after the exam. Apparently they didn't find anything too bad because he starts there next week.
 
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