Medical Knowledge & Evaluation Flashcards
6 cards from real AME practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Medical Knowledge & Evaluation flashcards as text
What is the primary cardiovascular concern that leads the FAA to require resting ECGs for First-Class applicants over age 35?
Answer: Identification of silent coronary artery disease and arrhythmias that may cause sudden incapacitation
The FAA requires routine ECGs for First-Class applicants over 35 primarily to screen for occult coronary artery disease and arrhythmias that could cause sudden incapacitation in flight.
An applicant reports taking a newly prescribed medication for ADHD (mixed amphetamine salts). What is the AME's required action?
Answer: Defer to AMCD; stimulant medications for ADHD are not approved under any FAA certification pathway
Stimulant medications such as amphetamines and methylphenidate used for ADHD are not approved for airmen by the FAA. ADHD itself may be certifiable under CACI, but only with specific non-stimulant medications or no medication.
A pilot reports a family history of Huntington's disease. They are asymptomatic at age 40 and have not been tested. What should the AME do?
Answer: Document the family history and evaluate for any current neurological symptoms or signs; issue if examination is normal
Family history of Huntington's disease alone, without current symptoms or signs, is not a disqualifying condition. The AME documents the history and bases certification on current objective neurological exam findings.
What is the clinical significance of an elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level found during an aviation medical examination?
Answer: It is a sensitive marker for hepatic stress often related to alcohol consumption, warranting further evaluation
GGT is one of the most sensitive hepatic enzyme markers for alcohol-related liver injury. An isolated elevation should prompt the AME to screen for alcohol use disorder, which has direct FAA certification implications.
What visual field requirement must an applicant meet to qualify for any class of aviation medical certificate?
Answer: Normal fields of vision or peripheral fields of vision adequate for the duties of the airman certificate sought
14 CFR 67.103(c), 67.203(c), and 67.303(c) require normal fields of vision or fields adequate for the duties of the specific airman certificate - a functionally defined standard rather than a fixed degree measurement.
Which musculoskeletal finding would most likely require the AME to obtain additional evaluation before issuing a medical certificate?
Answer: Recent lumbar herniated disc with residual left leg weakness and foot drop
A recent lumbar herniated disc with neurological deficits such as foot drop and leg weakness may impair the pilot's ability to operate aircraft controls safely and requires full evaluation before certification.