medical question: childhood heart murmur

Okay, here's an odd situation.

30-something pilot, been flying a few years, have had a couple of class
III medical examinations; no problems.

On a recent visit home, pilot's family remind him that as infant he had
a heart murmur. There were checkups for a few years, but no
restrictions, meds, problems, etc of any sort.

Pilot vaguely remembers some of this on being reminded, but also knows
he's never mentioned it to an AME. (As far as he knows, there's no
murmur today; at least no doctor or AME has mentioned it during an exam
in the last 20 years.)

Pilot has a one year old medical good for two more years.

1. does the pilot divulge to FAA said childhood murmur?
2. if so, to whom? AME? Oklahoma City?
3. does he wait until next exam (couple of years) or do so now?
4. If going to divulge, should he go get fancy/expensive tests *first*
or let FAA or AME ask for said tests?

Some seriously Googling about murmurs shows the protocol for murmurs to
be that they are FAA disqualifying until shown to be benign, and the
FAA has a list of stuff they want a cardiologist to provide to make the
decision. It's not clear if the AME or OKC needs to do that. The list
of stuff is long: stress test, ekg, family history, etc.


this unnamed flyer is a little freaked out right now. he doesn't want
to break the law, but doesn't want to give up his one true love,
flying!

thanks,
unnamedflyer

TROLL! shame on you...

You guys just slay me... THis TROLL throws out a baited hook and you
are all over it...

denny

"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
You guys just slay me... THis TROLL throws out a baited hook and you
are all over it...

What are you talking about? What makes you think the question isn't sincere?

--Gary

The poster is and was sincere. I did not post under my name, because,
honestly, medical questions are sensitive, as are questions about the
faa and medical certifications. Perhaps I was being paranoid, but I
figure better safe than sorry.

There was nothing 'troll-like' about this question. I did want to see
what people said. Most people backed up what the aeromedical people at
AOPA said. (Actually, it was the other way around, I called AOPA
later.)

-- unnamed

Gary Drescher wrote:
"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
You guys just slay me... THis TROLL throws out a baited hook and you
are all over it...

What are you talking about? What makes you think the question isn't sincere?

--Gary

I for one never thought it was a troll. BUT I can see where some might think
so as it was an actual on topic post and there have been so few lately from
new people.




wrote in message
oups.com...

The poster is and was sincere. I did not post under my name, because,
honestly, medical questions are sensitive, as are questions about the
faa and medical certifications. Perhaps I was being paranoid, but I
figure better safe than sorry.

There was nothing 'troll-like' about this question. I did want to see
what people said. Most people backed up what the aeromedical people at
AOPA said. (Actually, it was the other way around, I called AOPA
later.)

-- unnamed

Gary Drescher wrote:
"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
You guys just slay me... THis TROLL throws out a baited hook and you
are all over it...

What are you talking about? What makes you think the question isn't
sincere?

--Gary

Any AME worth his salt can detect a "detectable" heart murmer on
listening to the chest of an applicant.

If the murmer is no longer present, then your outgrew the condition. If
as a child you didn't require treatment, then likely as an adult you
dont either. If its not causing you symptoms, its a "non issue". As a
child a murmer is not uncommon, and many outgrow it as the heart grows

Would I disclose a transient childhood condition that is no longer
pertinent? Nope.

My take on it is, if its no longer present then its CLEARLY benign

If a new murmer develops it is likely because of a newly developed
structural problem: cardiomegaly, infarction, etc.. and those new
structural problems need to be evaluated properly with the million
dollar workup decribed below (echo, stress test, possible cardiac cath).

Keep in mind I am not an AME nor a cardiologist, just an ICU and ER
nurse who deals with lots of cardiac patients.

Dave

wrote:
Okay, here's an odd situation.

30-something pilot, been flying a few years, have had a couple of class
III medical examinations; no problems.

On a recent visit home, pilot's family remind him that as infant he had
a heart murmur. There were checkups for a few years, but no
restrictions, meds, problems, etc of any sort.

Pilot vaguely remembers some of this on being reminded, but also knows
he's never mentioned it to an AME. (As far as he knows, there's no
murmur today; at least no doctor or AME has mentioned it during an exam
in the last 20 years.)

Pilot has a one year old medical good for two more years.

1. does the pilot divulge to FAA said childhood murmur?
2. if so, to whom? AME? Oklahoma City?
3. does he wait until next exam (couple of years) or do so now?
4. If going to divulge, should he go get fancy/expensive tests *first*
or let FAA or AME ask for said tests?

Some seriously Googling about murmurs shows the protocol for murmurs to
be that they are FAA disqualifying until shown to be benign, and the
FAA has a list of stuff they want a cardiologist to provide to make the
decision. It's not clear if the AME or OKC needs to do that. The list
of stuff is long: stress test, ekg, family history, etc.


this unnamed flyer is a little freaked out right now. he doesn't want
to break the law, but doesn't want to give up his one true love,
flying!

thanks,
unnamedflyer

Dave S wrote:
Keep in mind I am not an AME nor a cardiologist, just an ICU and ER
nurse who deals with lots of cardiac patients.


Then you should look at the subject line to see how the word is spelled. I hope
you don't write "murmer" on charts.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Congrats Mort... thats my first mispelling someone has kicked back on me
in over a year.


Thanks for playing.
Dave

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
Dave S wrote:

Keep in mind I am not an AME nor a cardiologist, just an ICU and ER
nurse who deals with lots of cardiac patients.



Then you should look at the subject line to see how the word is spelled. I hope
you don't write "murmer" on charts.

Dave S wrote:
Congrats Mort... thats my first mispelling someone has kicked back on me
in over a year.


Thanks for playing.


We ame to pleeze.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE