[Cardiovascular system function in mitral valve prolapse in fighter pilots]

Echocardiogram examination of 250 young fighter pilots has revealed that 15 aviators had mitral valve prolapse (MVP) without symptoms of pronounced regurgitation. Their functional indexes of cardiovascular system at rest or dosed physical load at veloergometer tests were normal. Only in 3 pilots were marked rare supraventricular or ventricular extrasystoles during ECG monitoring or veloergometria. Performance capability of all pilots was sufficient. 13 pilots with MVP in examination of their tolerance to +Gz hypergravity at the levels of 6 G or more for 15 s had frequent polytop or group ventricular extrasystole. There was an ordinary aggravation of extrasystole in aviators with more deep and bilateral MVP. The article makes a conclusion that on the basis of medical flight expertise a thorough selection must be made concerning possibility of every pilot with MVP to carry out flight at high manoeuvring aircraft of new generation taking into account the gravity of prolapse and tolerance to high +Gz hypergravity more than 5 G.