Question about heart ratings

[Vync]

The VA did a thorough heart echo last week. I also saw a non-VA cardiologist who said there was damage, but not very much. I don't have much experience reading heart ratings. I'm trying to speculate what the rating might be if I am successful in getting SC for my MI. From what I can tell, it looks like I just barely meet the criteria that exempts me from METS testing.

Below are the key parts to the VA EKG results:

Quote

LVEF is 49% by Simpson's Biplane
There is mild anterior wall hypokinesis. There is mild septal hypokinesis.
The right ventricle is mildly dilated.

 

Here is the preamble for the heart ratings and some METS exclusionary criteria:

Quote

§4.100   Application of the evaluation criteria for diagnostic codes 7000-7007, 7011, and 7015-7020.

(a) Whether or not cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation (documented by electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, or X-ray) is present and whether or not there is a need for continuous medication must be ascertained in all cases.

(b) Even if the requirement for a 10% (based on the need for continuous medication) or 30% (based on the presence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation) evaluation is met, METs testing is required in all cases except:

(1) When there is a medical contraindication.

(2) When the left ventricular ejection fraction has been measured and is 50% or less.

(3) When chronic congestive heart failure is present or there has been more than one episode of congestive heart failure within the past year.

(4) When a 100% evaluation can be assigned on another basis.

(c) If left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) testing is not of record, evaluate based on the alternative criteria unless the examiner states that the LVEF test is needed in a particular case because the available medical information does not sufficiently reflect the severity of the veteran's cardiovascular disability.

 

Here are the heart ratings itself.

Quote

7006   Myocardial infarction:
During and for three months following myocardial infarction, documented by laboratory tests	100
Thereafter:
With history of documented myocardial infarction, resulting in:
Chronic congestive heart failure, or; workload of 3 METs or less results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent	100
More than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year, or; workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent	60
Workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation on electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, or X-ray	30
Workload of greater than 7 METs but not greater than 10 METs results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; continuous medication required	10

 

If successful, I would assume I would be rated 100% for three months following the MI. Unless something changes, I assume I would be rated 60% due to the ejection fraction being between 30 to 50%. I assume they will drag me back in sometime later for a re-eval. If my LVEF improves, but dilation is still present, then it could get reduced to 30%.

Are my assumptions correct? I have to ask because my gray matter is not functioning like it used to...

 

 

[ShrekTheTank]

After reading the criteria, I would say you are pretty darn close.  

[Buck52]

vync

Beings you are 100% this could open the door for Possible SMC

if you are considered bed rest and can't work due to your heart problem  so main thing here is get it S.C. (JMO)

[Vync]

@Buck52 Roger that. Well, for about the past month, I have not been able to go back to work, so I guess that might count. It wasn't prescribed bed rest though. Got the ball rolling on this last week.