hypertension Husband's B/p Readings For Hypertension Claim

[lotzaspotz]

I received my husband's medical records from Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland AFB for his surgery there in 1992. I had to ask for them from the National Archives, as they were not included in his military medical records that we received when he first retired. He was at Wilford Hall for three weeks, and during that time, his blood pressure readings were taken with great frequency. He was immediately put on steroids for a pituitary tumor and, for the most part, the gland itself was removed with the tumor, so he's on total hormone replacement.

We claimed hypertension secondary to the use of steroids to treat service connected hypoadrenalism. The RO denied it, the Board remanded it to the RO, and the RO just recently issued an SSOC denying it again. This happened just recently, so we haven't yet heard from the Board, but I've sent the attached information in to the Board, because the initial SOC, and now the SSOC, does not acknowledge or discuss these records.

I was hoping someone familiar with this subject might take a gander at the spreadsheet I put together that charts the dates, times, and readings that were recorded before and after the surgery, when he was still hospitalized. Does this fit the VA's definition of hypertension, that is, do these readings at their highest meet that definition? According to the VA, there is evidence of elevated blood pressure both before his retirement and within one year of his retirement, which took place in 1993. He was formally diagnosed with hypertension by the VA in 1995, and is currently on medication for it. They say it's "essential" hypertension, which evidently means there's no specific cause for it.

Thanks for any guidance I can receive.

Blood Pressure Readings.xls

Edited August 12, 2014 by lotzaspotz

[Berta]

I only saw one current 2014 reading in the spreadsheet.

Those readings are very much like mine all the time but I am not a vet and not medicated for HBP.

The VA Schedule of Ratings here at hadit has the info on how they rate HBP.

VA uses the word "essential" when they don't know (or don't want to figure out) the cause of HBP.

With the 100% now, what are you seeking with this claim?

[lotzaspotz]

That 2014 should be 1992. That was an input error. I've corrected it and re-attached the file. He's 100% only from 2/1997. The purpose is twofold. To get him 100% retro to initial date of claim 8/1993 (he's at 90 % from 8/1993 to 1/1997, also he has IHD and we have DIC concerns.

I checked the Mayo Clinic website, and a number of those readings are considered pre-hypertension, while others fit the Stage One definition of hypertension, as least as I read them and compare them to the Mayo Clinic's definitions.

Edited August 12, 2014 by lotzaspotz