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The ABCs of EKGs

I had written an earlier article on the circumstances where an electrocardiogram (EKG) might be requested for your FAA medical examination. In this current piece I am going to give you some ammunition to use on your aviation medical examiner (AME) in case the doctor doesn’t do his or her job properly.

As I had mentioned in that earlier article, the two main indications for performing an EKG on an airman are as a requirement for first-class airmen when one turns age 40 and every year following, and for the “initial” packet in a pilot who is reporting treatment for high blood pressure for the first time. It is the responsibility of the AME to interpret the EKG and if it is abnormal to have you undergo certain testing and evaluations to make sure that you don't have a medical condition that could be suddenly incapacitating. If the AME feels uncomfortable reading the EKG, then he or she should get someone who is comfortable to interpret it before releasing you from the office with a medical certificate in hand. Most EKG machines these days have self-interpretation capability, and the FAA has given the AMEs a list of what are called “normal variants. These are findings on electrocardiograms that have been found not to be aeromedically significant. To continue reading…

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