Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2009

The VA determined that there is no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's hypertension and heart disease and his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension are proximately due to his service-connected PTSD, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease with stent angioplasty to right coronary artery was not manifested by a workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope prior to October 15, 2007. As of October 15, 2007, the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and bronchitis, finding no evidence of chronic disability related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of in-country service and obtaining medical records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verifying a private medical opinion and obtaining a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder had its onset in service or is otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not meet the criteria for reopening any of the Veteran's service connection claims, as it is either insufficient to establish new and material evidence or does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability (including parasomnia), a memory loss disability, hypertension, and coronary artery disease (CAD) due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostatitis, including postoperative residuals of a transurethral resection of the prostate, was not incurred or aggravated in active service and is unrelated to any disease, injury, or event of service origin.

The Board has granted service connection for the aggravation of hypertension by the service-connected diabetes mellitus. The cardiovascular disease and PVD secondary service connection issues are remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding whether the service-connected diabetes mellitus aggravated the appellant's cardiac disease or PVD.

The Veteran's hypertensive heart disease and hypertension are each rated at 30 percent, with a separate 10 percent rating for hypertension. The claim for an increased rating for hypertensive heart disease is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his service-connected heart condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disease, to include as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected PTSD, and his heart disease is related to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the need for a new VA opinion regarding the relationship between his current condition and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board found that the veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease did not become manifest during service and is not otherwise related to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease did not result from service-connected schizophrenia, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease, both claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current heart disorder and finds no evidence linking any diagnosed condition to his military service. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to myocardial infarction and hypertensive heart disease, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The DIC claim was also denied as there was insufficient evidence showing a causal relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his fatal condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for organic heart disease. The Veteran's organic heart disease is now considered a potential service-connected condition.