Hypertension: How far back in Order to Claim?

[VietNamVet1969]

My hypertension started perhaps 10 years ago? I finished my term in VietNam in 1969.

But so far, all I have found is 2018 with BP readings at and around 165/100/74 and the like. I see that the Diastolic is only in the 10% disability range, and with meds I am moving well below toward 144/103/86 down to 114/80/88 range.

 

So with BP meds I am improving. So can I go back to before meds, if I can find the records on my cd, in order to Service Connect?

And by the way, I have records show only from Basic training then nothing for Viet Nam, then again starting in 2010-ish? Still reading a huge volume on the cd

[GBArmy]

Mrpdbo- I don't know if you have any other disa,bilities, but, in the case of htn, a 0% rating isn't the worse thing in the world. OK, you don't get ant monthly comp for it and money is always important, but the 0% rating means that the VA OWNS your problem, If it goes higher, or you have other problems associated with htn, those will be secondary and could be compensatable. But it also gets you covered for Stroke, TIA's (mini-strokes), heart attacks, and other disabilities, including those problems caused by the meds prescribed. One last thing, if you didn't have any other VA disabilities, if you have two 0% ratings, that could be covered into one single 10% if it affects your employment. So, it really isn't worthless.

[HONDOII]

7 hours ago, VietNamEraVet1969 said:

My hypertension started perhaps 10 years ago? I finished my term in VietNam in 1969.

But so far, all I have found is 2018 with BP readings at and around 165/100/74 and the like. I see that the Diastolic is only in the 10% disability range, and with meds I am moving well below toward 144/103/86 down to 114/80/88 range.

 

So with BP meds I am improving. So can I go back to before meds, if I can find the records on my cd, in order to Service Connect?

And by the way, I have records show only from Basic training then nothing for Viet Nam, then again starting in 2010-ish? Still reading a huge volume on the cd

I've read a ton of Citation Nr.'s from hypertension claims at the BVA level and most of them have significant gaps in between in service BP readings and current hypertension diagnosis.  I was never diagnosed in service for hypertension, I just had several high readings.  I would say if you can prove that you had elevated readings in service, you can likely get service connected.  Also, I'm not sure how it works but I thought hypertension was a presumptive from service in Vietnam so that might be something to correlate as well.

 

By the way, for my claim I had my private doctor review my service records and current medical records and fill out a DBQ.  I didn't even have to have a C&P for it.

[VietNamVet1969]

On 5/29/2010 at 1:52 PM, JamesBreckenridge said:

Here is the rating schedule for hypertension.

 

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 10

Note (1): Hypertension or isolated systolic hypertension must be confirmed by readings taken two or more times on at least three different days. For purposes of this section, the term hypertension means that the diastolic blood pressure is predominantly 90mm. or greater, and isolated systolic hypertension means that the systolic blood pressure is predominantly 160mm. or greater with a diastolic blood pressure of less than 90mm.

Note (2): Evaluate hypertension due to aortic insufficiency or hyperthyroidism, which is usually the isolated systolic type, as part of the condition causing it rather than by a separate evaluation.

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

 

 

Nowadays, the doctors aren't going to allow your blood pressure to get crazy high; they will throw all sorts of medications at you. Systolics predominately in the 160s would get you a 10 percent.

 

3 hours ago, GBArmy said:

Mrpdbo- I don't know if you have any other disa,bilities, but, in the case of htn, a 0% rating isn't the worse thing in the world. OK, you don't get ant monthly comp for it and money is always important, but the 0% rating means that the VA OWNS your problem, If it goes higher, or you have other problems associated with htn, those will be secondary and could be compensatable. But it also gets you covered for Stroke, TIA's (mini-strokes), heart attacks, and other disabilities, including those problems caused by the meds prescribed. One last thing, if you didn't have any other VA disabilities, if you have two 0% ratings, that could be covered into one single 10% if it affects your employment. So, it really isn't worthless.

GBArmy

Thanks I gotcha.

[VietNamVet1969]

2 hours ago, Mrpdbo said:

I've read a ton of Citation Nr.'s from hypertension claims at the BVA level and most of them have significant gaps in between in service BP readings and current hypertension diagnosis.  I was never diagnosed in service for hypertension, I just had several high readings.  I would say if you can prove that you had elevated readings in service, you can likely get service connected.  Also, I'm not sure how it works but I thought hypertension was a presumptive from service in Vietnam so that might be something to correlate as well.

 

By the way, for my claim I had my private doctor review my service records and current medical records and fill out a DBQ.  I didn't even have to have a C&P for it.

No C&P? But you went outside with medicare? So a private doctor overrides the VA doctor? I guess I cannot prove that while in Basic training and AIT I do not have elevated BP, so far and I'm still digging.

Not familiar with DBQ.

Edited June 18, 2019 by VietNamEraVet1969
spelling

[HONDOII]

12 minutes ago, VietNamEraVet1969 said:

No C&P? But you went outside with medicare? So a private doctor overrides the VA doctor? I guess I cannot prove that while in Basic training and AIT I do not have elevated BP, so far and I'm still digging.

Not familiar with DBQ.

So, thinking that it was a shot in the dark trying to get service connected for HBP since I never complained or was diagnosed in service, I decided to just give the following DBQ form:

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-0960A-3-ARE.pdf

To my primary care provider through my private health insurance and had them take the in service readings and my current readings (prior to submitting my claim) and had them fill it out.

When I submitted the completed DBQ with my claim of several things, no C&P exam was scheduled for hypertension and it was service connected as of last Friday.

 

Although I'm not sure of exactly how it works, if you can't find any records, I think you could probably get service connected via Agent Orange exposure if you were boots on the ground in Vietnam as long as you can have a doctor state that it was "at least as likely as not" a result of that exposure.

Edited June 18, 2019 by Mrpdbo

[VietNamVet1969]

Yes I was boots on the gorund from 1968 to 1968 and was definitely exposed.

 

Thank you so much Mrpdbo I really appreciate your time and the link, most helpful. You have a great evening.