hypertension Dramatic Change In Echo Exam From 2013 To 2015

[vern2]

Just wondering if the VA cardiologist is slanting his exams to favor the VA> I had ECHO in 2013 when filed claim for hypertension increase. Measurements were Left Atria enlarged to 4.9 cm/s and noted that this time AFTER I had filed a claim for hypertensive heart disease that measurements were decreased to 4.6cm/s. Similar decrease throughout the readings. Funny thing is had ECHO from my cardio doc and had higher readings less than one month prior to the VA echo and I will have another one next week as well as nuclear stress test and may even get a MUGA scan. It appears that the VA cardiologist is slanting the reports and this is wrong.

Example: I have Disatolic dysfunction Stage II, noted on two different ECHO exams and other heart tests from 2013 and 2014, and again in 2015. This time the VA cardiologist, Dr. Steven J. Schang states that have normal left ventricular diastolic function. Hell, I did not have normal diastolic function way back in 2003, and has worsened since then, yet this non-biased VA doctor stated that have normal diastolic function. This statement is just not true!

Wonder if I should complain to the JACC C & P director about this "unbiased" VA doctor?

I will scan and upload both of the VA ECHO reports at later date.

Has anyone else experienced similar incidents with VA cardiologists? I would think the readings are there and doctor would record readings exactly as indicated, not slant to favor VA.

BTW: I have not had an improvement in my cardio health. It appears that I am headed toward pacemaker/defib implant.

The tests were done at Pensacola JACC by Doctor Schang.

Oh well, have mental health exam on Monday at same place-Pensacola JACC. Wish me luck:)

[Chuck75]

You might assume that the doctor

Read the wrong Echo results, or did not read them at all.

I'd also say that the wrong results might have been sent to the doctor.

It's also remotely possible that the results were within "Normal" for unknown reasons.

In other words, get another test from a trusted and qualified provider, likely at your expense, unfortunately.

There is some language in the regs that might be used to overcome the "normal" test results. That would be

part of a last resort effort if denied.

[Buck52]

Get your medical records that you had a 2003 but like chuck75 mention maybe things have changed?

& Like chuck75 mention get a IMO specialist and compare? if you get a favorable exam there's your evidence...take a hi-liter and hi-lite through the evidence or the parts you want them to read.

jmo

.............................Buck

[vern2]

Oh, just noticed that the test was technically difficult with suboptimal results. In plain English, the test did not meet the standard, perhaps due to my obesity, or bad sonographer. The test should not have been submitted , but this did not happen. I will challenge this tomorrow, before the review is finished. I cannot believe the cardiologist was dumb enough to even submit a test that did not meet the standard, but wait, we are talking about the VA where incompetence is rewarded!

[vern2]

Had another Echo at Baptist Hospital Pensacola and results were dramatically different than the Echo done by the VA. Hmm! In my talk with Kelvin at VARO today, they acknowledged that had my new echo. I told Kelvin that I would challenge any use of the VA conducted Echo as not meeting the standards.

I am not a cardiologist, so having my NHP cardiologist compare the last three Echos, especially the one conducted by the Pensacola JACC cardiologist, Dr. Schang.