Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia in military pilots.

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM), a subtype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, may be found incidentally in healthy young adults. Arrhythmias are poor prognostic signs, and are the most frequent cause of sudden cardiac death. We present two cases of military aviators with ApHCM. One was a high-performance jet weapon system operator, who had asymptomatic non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and subsequently a symptomatic episode of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The second was a helicopter pilot, who had asymptomatic NSVT. Both aviators continue their aviation duties without exposure to +Gz under a regime of regular thorough cardiac assessment.