Heart damage caused by long-term high blood pressure that may lead to heart failure.
To support a rating, medical records that document when heart failure symptoms appear during physical activity are central. Exercise stress test results showing the MET level at which breathlessness, fatigue, angina, dizziness, arrhythmia, palpitations, or syncope develop directly correspond to the rating levels. If exercise testing cannot be performed for medical reasons, a medical examiner's written estimate of your functional MET level, supported by specific activity examples, can substitute.
For the 30% level, an echocardiogram, multigated acquisition scan, or MRI confirming cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation is relevant evidence even without a documented MET threshold. For the 10% level, pharmacy records or treating physician notes showing that continuous medication is required for control of the condition can help establish that criterion.
Statements from you or people who know you describing how symptoms limit your physical activities at work or in daily life can help connect your reported limitations to the MET-based criteria, particularly when paired with clinical findings.
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.
