hypertension Iu Filed

[e4766 0]

e just got awarded 90% and I filed Individual Unemployability (IU) for him. My question is, part of his newer rating was 60% for Hypertensive Heart Disease secondary to DMII, but he has a 0% rating for Hypertension as a aggravating factor of diabetes. Is this correct of am I missing something? Sometimes these little details really gets me to wondering. Okay experts tell me something.

Carolyn

[e4766 0]

Left Ventricular hypertrophy 60% (on award paper) but on travel voucher papers listed at the top of the page Hypertensive Heart Disease 60%

Persistent atrial fibrillation 10% both LVH and Afib (new)

Diabetes mellitus II 40% (new upgrade)

Peripherial neuropathy, left lower 20%

Peripheral, neuropathy right lower 10%

Hearing loss, bilateral 10%

Tinnitus 10%

Peripheral neuropathy left upper 10%

Peripheral neuropathy right upper 10%

Hypertension 0%

Why is the 60% listed as Left Ventricular hypertrophy on one paper and different on the travel voucher? Shouldn't they be called the same? If his diabetes caused his blood pressure to remain high, this also caused his LVH right?

As Forrest Gump says, that's all I got to say about that!!

Thanks Carolyn

[jbasser 35]

Carolyn, you need to get e's blood pressure readings from the VAMC and other places if he went there. The VA will rate Hypertension based on readings.

The rateing criteria is as follows.

7101 Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension):

Diastolic pressure predominantly 130 or more 60

Diastolic pressure predominantly 120 or more 40

Diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, or; systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more 20

Diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or; systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, or; minimum evaluation for an individual with a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more who requires continuous medication for control

The key word is predominant so to decipher the readings the majority have to be diastolic 100 or higher.

J

Edited August 4, 2010 by jbasser

[e4766 0]

Carolyn, you need to get e's blood pressure readings from the VAMC and other places if he went there. The VA will rate Hypertension based on readings.

The rateing criteria is as follows.

7101 Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension):

Diastolic pressure predominantly 130 or more 60

Diastolic pressure predominantly 120 or more 40

Diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, or; systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more 20

Diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or; systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, or; minimum evaluation for an individual with a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more who requires continuous medication for control

The key word is predominant so to decipher the readings the majority have to be diastolic 100 or higher.

J

jbasser, according to what the C&P put in e's records I was thinking that LVH would be under code 7007 because he had left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 45% which would give him 60%. Sooo why did the paper work from his Warfarin Clinic list LVH as Hypertensive Heart Disease when he has 0% rating for Hypertension?

Carolyn

[jbasser 35]

From the regs:

Note (3): Evaluate hypertension separately from hypertensive heart disease and other types of heart disease.

It requires a separate evaluation. Check the readings, this is often low balled. Every time he hits the VA they take his Blood Pressure and record it.

J

[Testvet 2]

I have an ejection fraction that is less than 30% (supposed to be 100%) the VA rated me as 60% for CAD and 10% for hypertension (if you take medication daily to control you blood pressure then you should be rated at 10%) no medication 0%, since I am 100% for PTSD it does NOT matter if the VA rates me at 60% or 100% I will only get SMC S either way SSD was approved in Oct 2002 just on my heart issues 2 failed bypasses, 2 failed stents no surgical repair possible medicate only until death

the VA seems to have real problems describing heart disease Ischemic heart disease for AO is the same as CAD, and there are other ways to describe it as well but no matter how they describe it to get 100% the ejection fraction has to be 30% or below

the VARO won't even discuss the failed bypass's even though SSD says if you have 2 failed bypasses you are automatically approved for SSD or LVF of 30% or less my SSD was approved using only my VA records they had the same information that SS used to determine if I was disabled or not and we all know how hard SSD approval is to get

if he is taking medication I suggest you file a NOD and explain why if he has to take medication to control and list the meds and dosages sometimes the rater does just make a mistake they are human but with the combined rating it probably won't make a difference if he is 0% or 10% VA math is a mess as I am sure you know by know

[e4766 0]

jbasser, I think the understand the reason they gave him 0% is because he is currently on 4 different kinds of hypertension medications. From what I read if his systolic is always above 140 it could be isolated systolic right? I 'm probably out in left field with this. I just want e to get what he deserves. Not a penny less or a penny more!

Testvet, my sympathies with you and your problems.. My concern is that I want everybody at the VA to be on the same page when referring to his heart problems. I'm going by what is on the award letter which is LVH. If LVH and Hypertensive Heart are the same thing then I have no problem.

Sometimes I need a good thump to the head.

Thanks to you both Carolyn

[jbasser 35]

You should sit down with the readings and write them down in a chart.

It will help; you understand. The Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart is beating and the Distolic is the pressure at rest.

J