Regulations concerning individual risk and public safety

Abstract

Regulations and guidelines with recommendations on driving and flying following a major cardiac event or cardiac intervention, or both, have been published by national and international cardiology societies, including the European Society of Cardiology. However, most of them are mainly based on consensus of opinion of experts and/or small studies and registries, and become outdated in the light of emerging new evidence. What constitutes an acceptable risk cannot always be answered by scientific evidence and may have to be a matter of consensus. The balance between individual freedom and protection of the public is not easily achieved and requires ongoing review and update.