Hypertension Question

[capitan]

Hypertension was recently added to the Agent Orange presumptive list, by the Pact Act. How is your rating determined? I understand your BP has to be a certain Systolic and Diastolic number but I don't know how that is measured if you are taking medication for BP. Anybody know?

Edited September 22, 2022 by capitan

[Marine Corp 69/70]

It’s determined by your reading before medication on three separate days, 100 Diastolic number or higher or a 160 Systolic number or higher to get 10% or higher disability.

[capitan]

how long before medication? do you go off medication for 3 days or more? and isn't it harmful to go off medication? Does a doctor have to take the readings for it to be valid for a claim?

[Dustoff1970]

You may or may not have evidence of your BP in your medical records reading before start of medication.  I did and submitted copies of this to both VARO claims adjudicator and my C&P examiner.  Also gave oral statement to the examiner.

If you have no medical records, then just tell them what it was before start of medications.  I assume that like me you have a good memory from many years ago.

My comment not legal advice as i not a lawyer, paralegal or VSO.

[capitan]

Looks like it depends on what "before medication" means. Does it mean originally or currently? I will check my records, I know it's in there, but I don't know about the numbers. Thanks

[GBArmy]

No, you don't go off your meds. The requirement is an exception: if you are on meds, for 95% of us, your b/p will be controlled. By controlled, I mean less than the 10% rating for compensation for the disability. (Diastolic of 100 or higher.) But if you can provide medical records that show what it was before your original doctor prescribed the meds for you, it is evidence they have to consider.  see the VA m21-1 manual " M21-1,V.iii.5.3.e and V.iii.5.3.b

[Whodat]

I think that this is one of those hit or miss claims. I do have high blood pressure. When the VA do my vitals, they do see it but have me to wait for a few until it goes down. Nowhere is it annotated that they had did that but they make sure that they annotate the lowest reading. Then they told me just go buy a machine and monitor it. But not annotated in my records.