Surgical replacement of a diseased heart with a donor heart.
During the first year after hospital admission, the central evidence is documentation of the transplant hospitalization itself, such as admission and discharge records and operative reports confirming the date of admission.
After the first year, the most useful evidence comes from exercise testing that measures METs, because the rating thresholds all turn on the workload level at which your heart failure symptoms develop. A formal exercise stress test report showing the MET level at which breathlessness, fatigue, angina, dizziness, arrhythmia, palpitations, or syncope occurred directly ties to each rating level. If exercise testing cannot be done for medical reasons, a medical examiner's written estimate of your activity tolerance — described in specific terms and expressed in METs — can be used instead.
For the 30% level, an echocardiogram, multigated acquisition scan, or magnetic resonance imaging showing cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation also supports that rating. Records showing that continuous medication is required for control of the condition support the 10% level. Statements from you or treating providers describing how symptoms affect daily activity help establish the MET level in practical terms.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
