The Role of an Organized Exercise and Diet Program in the Primary Prevention of Ischemic Coronary Artery Disease in the U.S. Air Force Aviators
Abstract
Community health protection for asymptomatic ischemic coronary artery disease (ICAD) for U.S. Air Force pilots includes a regulation (AFI 48-123), which requires screening of cholesterol levels. If an officer is not qualified on initial exam, he does not begin pilot training. If a qualified pilot develops a disqualifying condition, the test is repeated in about 3-6 months after 'prudent diet' modification. If he confirms disqualifying cholesterol levels, he is then grounded and may have to receive a mega-workup to rule out ICAD, including a coronary artery angiogram evaluation at Brooks AFB, TX. To avoid this mega-workup, many flight surgeons are prescribing medications such as lovastatin to improve cholesterol levels, without giving a diet and exercise program a legitimate trial to work. The Air Force has developed a health promotions program which has been generally underutilized. Current practice is that almost no pilots, identified with medically disqualifying cholesterol levels, are referred to the health promotions program. This practice has been witnessed by the author as a practicing flight surgeon at 3 Air Force Bases, and has been verified by interview with more than 12 flight surgeons at more than 12 different Air Force Bases in the United States and overseas. Since military pilots are trained at U.S. taxpayer expense and the training costs usually exceed $1 million to be fully combat capable, and since these pilots are responsible for multimillion dollar aircraft, it makes economic sense that these pilots be held to high standards of professional and physical fitness in order to defend our country.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA325581
Entities
People
- Philip J. Lavallee
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology