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Hypertension And Heart Disease

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vern2

Question

Saw on another Vet forum that a member wrote that heart disease is automatically assumed as a secondary condition if you are service connected for high blood pressure. Tthen another member wrrote that not just any heart diseasee, it was limited to myocardial damage and coronary occlusion. "Essentially we are talking about coronary artery disease. If you have this heart disease the connection to service connected hypertension has already been made for you by the Secretary. This is spelled out in their operating manual, M21-1MR. Any other type of heart disease, except for hypertensive heart disease of course, will require a medical opinion from your doctor"

I was service connected for hypertension, and filed a claim for atrial fibriallation, carotid artery disease (coronary artery diesease- CAD), and hypertensive heart disease. They were denied as not service connected, even though I had extensive heart tests 5 months after came off AD to confirm had enlarged heart, and CAD. I am on appeal and have filed new claim for cardiomapathy, cardiomegaly and re-filed the CAD again.

Has anyone ever hear of automatic connection for heart disease if you have SC hypertension? The actual M21-1MR was part III, Subpart iv, Chapter 4, Section E. Sounds like a CUE has been made in my claim, but not sure?? Or could have been judgement call on the part of the C & P examiner??

Vern2 :sad:

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Jbasser, Sorry for not responding, overlooked your comments. My EF has ranged from about 50% to 70% and then 44%, then 60%, then 65%, then latest was 70% I think. My heart is enlarged, so have heart failue with preserved ejection fraction.

44% was when had CHF, and spent 4 days in hospital, the out for few days, the CHF again, the cardiac ablation, but nowhave very low heart rate, down as low as 37 bpm while I was asleep. It has ranged from 37 to 118 bpm, and this is while resting or asleep.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

We have a Board remanded appeal in for hypertension that the RO recently denied via SSOC, it's on it's way back to the Board. Our argument was that it was a secondary effect of steroids taken for service connected hypoadrenalism. This question interested me because my husband, a 'Nam vet, is already 10% rated for ischemic heart disease for two cardiac stents. The hypertension claim pre-dated the IHD claim. I wonder if there's also a plausible cause and effect there, as well.

"I wonder if there's also a plausible cause and effect there, as well" There is, but it's a chicken and egg situation. And to add insult, the VA often tries to say that Hypertension is

"Essential". Usually, at least mild hypertension can be a pre-cursor to heart problems. Males in their twenty's can have small heart blood clots that come and go, and the only indication may be slightly elevated blood pressure that is not up to a formal diagnostic level. It can also happen that heart problems cause high blood pressure.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Jbasser, Sorry for not responding, overlooked your comments. My EF has ranged from about 50% to 70% and then 44%, then 60%, then 65%, then latest was 70% I think. My heart is enlarged, so have heart failue with preserved ejection fraction.

44% was when had CHF, and spent 4 days in hospital, the out for few days, the CHF again, the cardiac ablation, but nowhave very low heart rate, down as low as 37 bpm while I was asleep. It has ranged from 37 to 118 bpm, and this is while resting or asleep.

In your situation, I'd talk to a cardiologist you can trust. The 37bpm is of concern, as is the 118 at total rest. you may be a candidate for a pacemaker.

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yes, my cardiologist is going to discuss this on 30 April. He has mentioned ACID device which is both a pacemaker and defibrillator.

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Update. Had stress test on treadmill, lasted 4.3 minutes, stopped due to chest pain, PAC. 72 % predicted capacity, METS 5.8. All 4 stress tests have been stopped, 3 due to hypertensive BP response. Been having a lot of angina recently. Cardio C& P Friday, where they will probably say I am fine. Wish I were!

Edited by vern2
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See my other posts, now the VA is stating that I have hypertensive heart disease, secondary to hypertension. Hell, this is what I claimed back in 2003, but denied. And then there is my CUE, where they ignored all the medical evidence that had heart disease less than 6 months after came off AD. VA has tacitly acknowledged that " MISTAKES WERE MADE " in my claim back in 2013.

Oh well, back on the hamster wheel:)

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