[Resistivity and hemodynamic reactions of essentially healthy pilots to the passive orthostatic test]

The paper analyzes the data of expert tilt testing (-80 degrees, 20 min.) of 66 essentially healthy pilots. Hemodynamic reactions were characterized based on the standard concept of functional classes (FC). Good test tolerance was recorded in 86.4% of cases among which 36.4% were referred to FC-I and 50%--to FC-II. Adequate test tolerance (FC-II) was recorded in 10.6%; reduced and poor test tolerance (FC-IV and FC-V)--in 3%. According to ECG and computerized tachooscillography, the adaptive hemodynamic reactions were optimum in pilots of group FC-I as compared with group FC-II and all the more so when compared with FC-III. The last two groups showed some objective symptoms that had not been looked for in the past (a distinct lability of blood pressure, and incomplete hypertensive and hypotensive reactions) that differentiated these groups from FC-I. Results of the analysis made it possible to put forward additional clinical functional criteria to assess tilt tolerance of pilots with different levels of functional tolerance.