hypertension 6 Way Cardiac Bypass Surgery

[saturneptune]

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have no idea where I stand with this claim. Ten years ago I received a 10% claim based on hypertension. That was about twenty years after discharge. About four years ago, I noticed that I had to stop and rest when push mowing the yard. The symptoms were shortness of breath, fatique, and chest pain. I had a stress echo test done. It showed nothing. In 2008, I was rushed to the emergency room because of very low blood pressure. Again, a stress test showed nothing. By October 2008, I got to where my job was very difficult to do with heavier objects (mechanic for the USPS), so I retired on a regular full retirement, being eligible. (I am 57)

Anyway, one month after that, at Thanksgiving, the symptoms got so bad I could not walk to the top of attic stairs or saw a limb off a tree. I went to see my regular Dr Dec 3rd, and he sent me to a cardiologist. The cardiologist did a nuclear stress test (cardiolite). It showed a possible old heart attack and a 41% ejection fraction. He set me up for a heart cath. Jan 11th, I had a heart cath. He came out after the test shaking his head, saying there was not a thing he could do for me. I had three totally blocked arteries and three partially blocked veins. I was not even allowed to go home.

The morning of Jan 12th, I had a six way CABG operation. I am lucky to be alive, as this is my first operation. I have always been healthy until now. Since then, I have done rehab and taken the required medicine. I cannot get another job or do other things until April.

Here are some statements in the surgical report.

Pre and Post operative diagnosis: Ischemic heart disease, with coronary artery stenosis

Other results of catherization

Normal left ventriculorgram, slight inferior hypokensis. Left main normal. The left anterior descending coronary artery is 100% blocked. There is diagonal with significant disease. The left circumflex has a 60% circumflex lesion. The first obtuse marginal ws subtotal. The second was a large vessel. Coronary had 30% to 40% mid stenosis and then a 90% stenosis prior to a small postarterial vessel. In short, there are 3 vessel coronary artery disease, angina, positive stress test, and a fairly well preserved left ventricular function.

Diagnosis

Coronary artery disease

Hypothyroidism

Hypertension

Hyperlipidemia

I filed a VA claim to upgrade my 10% hypertension. They have all the records now. Any thoughts or suggestions or experience would be greatly appreciated. Oh, one other thing, I did have an appointment for an exam at Marion, IL in connection with this, but when they got some of the records, they cancelled it, and the claim is now being considered.

[AimHigh1986]

You are very fortunate to be alive. The left anterior descending coronary artery is vital to the function of the heart. They call that artery "The Widow Maker". :)

[*Bergie*]

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have no idea where I stand with this claim. Ten years ago I received a 10% claim based on hypertension. That was about twenty years after discharge. About four years ago, I noticed that I had to stop and rest when push mowing the yard. The symptoms were shortness of breath, fatique, and chest pain. I had a stress echo test done. It showed nothing. In 2008, I was rushed to the emergency room because of very low blood pressure. Again, a stress test showed nothing. By October 2008, I got to where my job was very difficult to do with heavier objects (mechanic for the USPS), so I retired on a regular full retirement, being eligible. (I am 57)

Anyway, one month after that, at Thanksgiving, the symptoms got so bad I could not walk to the top of attic stairs or saw a limb off a tree. I went to see my regular Dr Dec 3rd, and he sent me to a cardiologist. The cardiologist did a nuclear stress test (cardiolite). It showed a possible old heart attack and a 41% ejection fraction. He set me up for a heart cath. Jan 11th, I had a heart cath. He came out after the test shaking his head, saying there was not a thing he could do for me. I had three totally blocked arteries and three partially blocked veins. I was not even allowed to go home.

The morning of Jan 12th, I had a six way CABG operation. I am lucky to be alive, as this is my first operation. I have always been healthy until now. Since then, I have done rehab and taken the required medicine. I cannot get another job or do other things until April.

Here are some statements in the surgical report.

Pre and Post operative diagnosis: Ischemic heart disease, with coronary artery stenosis

Other results of catherization

Normal left ventriculorgram, slight inferior hypokensis. Left main normal. The left anterior descending coronary artery is 100% blocked. There is diagonal with significant disease. The left circumflex has a 60% circumflex lesion. The first obtuse marginal ws subtotal. The second was a large vessel. Coronary had 30% to 40% mid stenosis and then a 90% stenosis prior to a small postarterial vessel. In short, there are 3 vessel coronary artery disease, angina, positive stress test, and a fairly well preserved left ventricular function.

Diagnosis

Coronary artery disease

Hypothyroidism

Hypertension

Hyperlipidemia

I filed a VA claim to upgrade my 10% hypertension. They have all the records now. Any thoughts or suggestions or experience would be greatly appreciated. Oh, one other thing, I did have an appointment for an exam at Marion, IL in connection with this, but when they got some of the records, they cancelled it, and the claim is now being considered.

Saturneptune,

Are you a VN vet, if so you might qualify for compensation under the Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) presumptive. The hypertension if poorly controlled can cause an enlarged heart, poor eye site, kidney failure, congestive heart failure and increased risk of heart attack and stroke. I would contact your cardiologist and ask them to give you an openion as to whether your HTN could have caused all these bad things that you describe here. They will be able to tell you if what you have now is attributable to HTN.

Good luck, hope this helps,

Bergie