Implantable cardiac pacemaker

For the 100% rating in the month after surgery, hospital records showing your admission date, the implantation or re-implantation procedure, and your discharge date are the core evidence. After that period, the evidence that matters depends on which underlying condition VA uses to continue your rating. For supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, or atrioventricular block, relevant records include electrocardiograms, Holter monitor results, electrophysiology studies, cardiology notes, and exercise stress test findings that document the frequency and severity of your arrhythmia or conduction disorder. If exercise testing cannot be done for medical reasons, a medical examiner can estimate the level of activity, measured in METs, at which symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, dizziness, or syncope appear. Statements from you or people who know you describing how cardiac symptoms affect your ability to work, walk, climb stairs, or carry out daily tasks can also help show the functional impact of your condition at each stage of rating.