Passing Your Airman Medical Exam When You Have Hypertension

By Dr. Susan Biegel, M.D.

Having hypertension is not a death sentence to continuing to fly, but there are some tips to make your airman medical exam go much more smoothly and increase your likelihood of passing the first time.

Get a good night’s sleep the night before the exam. Many times, my patients’ blood pressure will be significantly higher if they had a poor night’s sleep the night before.

Don’t exercise right before your exam. Exercising naturally will raise the pulse and the blood pressure. This is normal! But please allow two to three hours for the blood pressure to come down before your exam. Last week I saw a patient who did his 30 mile bike ride the night before his physical. His blood pressure did not come down after 45 minutes and he doesn’t even have hypertension! Please don’t come bounding up the stairs as this can raise the blood pressure. Instead, take the elevator to the doctor’s office.

Please abstain from coffee, energy drinks and other caffeine containing products, the day of the exam. We want to give you the best chance of passing your exam without a return appointment.

Take your blood pressure medications regularly. If you are on blood pressure medications, please make sure you take them consistently for two weeks before your appointment. Even though most blood pressure medications act immediately or in a day or two, the “water pill” diuretics may take two weeks to lower your blood pressure.

Avoid eating salty foods as this can raise the blood pressure.

Don’t rush the day of your exam; this can raise the blood pressure. Come early to your appointment. Don’t start out behind on your way to your aero medical exam; inevitably, you may hit traffic which will stress you and cause your blood pressure to be abnormally high. Take your time, come to the Doctor’s office early, and sit and relax before your exam.

For a first time airman medical exam, after being diagnosed with hypertension, please be sure to bring an EKG from your treating doctor along with a chem 7, blood pressure readings from three different dates and a letter from your doctor stating you have no side effects from the medications.

Good luck with your medical exam. My office is located in Upland, Calif. about seven minutes away from Cable Airport. My team is highly experienced, friendly and efficient. We go out of our way to get you certified with the minimum effort.

For more information, contact Dr. Susan Biegel at 909/985-1908 or visit www.susanbiegelmd.com. Dr. Biegel’s office is located at 1113 Alta Ave. Suite 220 in Upland, Calif. 91786.