I've searched this thread, and some others, and nothing about this situation.
Last spring, my AME expressed concern about something he saw on my annual EKG. He asked if (1) had any chest pains recently, or (2) if I exercised vigorously. I told him I exercised as much as six times weekly and described the workout routine. He said he had no concerns if I was exercising that much. He also asked about shortness of breath and some other items. He seemed satisfied with the answers and issued a new class 1 certificate with the advice that I get with my PCP to schedule a stress test.
Earlier this month, I did so and scheduled the stress test before my physical date. I was unable to complete the EKG treadmill portion due to the same reading on a different EKG machine. I completed the nuclear portion of the test. I took the results to my AME and my medical was deferred and I am grounded.
I went to the cardiologist who treated my mother before she died. He remembered me and looked at all the data on me. He's leaning toward a false-positive on the EKG. I had an echo-cardiogram last Friday and have a heart catheterization coming up on Thursday. Thus far, the false-positive remains his opinion.
If Thurday's procedure supports the cardiologist's findings, what is the FAA protocol for dealing with an EKG false-positive? I can't find anything addressing this possibility here, on AMAS (ALPA's aero-medical support service), Web mD or anywhere else I can find.
Last spring, my AME expressed concern about something he saw on my annual EKG. He asked if (1) had any chest pains recently, or (2) if I exercised vigorously. I told him I exercised as much as six times weekly and described the workout routine. He said he had no concerns if I was exercising that much. He also asked about shortness of breath and some other items. He seemed satisfied with the answers and issued a new class 1 certificate with the advice that I get with my PCP to schedule a stress test.
Earlier this month, I did so and scheduled the stress test before my physical date. I was unable to complete the EKG treadmill portion due to the same reading on a different EKG machine. I completed the nuclear portion of the test. I took the results to my AME and my medical was deferred and I am grounded.
I went to the cardiologist who treated my mother before she died. He remembered me and looked at all the data on me. He's leaning toward a false-positive on the EKG. I had an echo-cardiogram last Friday and have a heart catheterization coming up on Thursday. Thus far, the false-positive remains his opinion.
If Thurday's procedure supports the cardiologist's findings, what is the FAA protocol for dealing with an EKG false-positive? I can't find anything addressing this possibility here, on AMAS (ALPA's aero-medical support service), Web mD or anywhere else I can find.
