Flying status and coronary revascularization procedures in military aviators

This article proposes guidelines and recommendations for aeromedical disposal of military aviators after revascularization procedures for the treatment of stable obstructive coronary artery disease. A highly selected group of military aviators with a low risk of future cardiac events after successful angioplasty for single vessel disease or bypass surgery are reasonably safe for restricted flying duties. This is provided there is no past history of infarction, the aviators are free from subjective or objective evidence of myocardial ischemia on exercise electrocardiography (+/- stress thalium scan stress echocardiography), angiography shows no more than 30% lumen narrowing in major epicardial vessels and provided the ejection fraction is more than 50%. They should also be subjected to full annual cardiological reviews.