Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2021

The Veteran's bronchitis was granted service connection, while his heart disability (supraventricular tachycardia) was denied. The Veteran received a 20 percent rating for right ankle degenerative joint disease.,Service connection for bronchitis was established based on in-service diagnosis and no evidence of pre-existing condition or aggravation. Service connection for the heart disability could not be established due to lack of current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including personal statements and articles regarding exposure to Agent Orange in Korea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including hypertension, due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted, and he is now entitled to VA benefits for this condition.,The Veteran's TDIU for ischemic heart disease has also been granted, with a combined disability rating of 90 percent.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy was granted with effective dates of August 26, 2019. A rating of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was also granted with an effective date of May 30, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, heart disorder, and diabetes mellitus type II with peripheral arterial disease, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effects of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder and denied initial ratings for headache disorder, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and lumbar spinal degenerative disc disease. The Veteran's headaches are rated at 10% from May 1, 2015, but the claim is denied for higher ratings. The cervical and lumbar spine conditions do not meet criteria for initial rating higher than 10%. Service connection was not granted due to lack of a diagnosed heart disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent from October 17, 2013 to April 24, 2015.,From August 1, 2015 to the present, the Veteran's service-connected CAD did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to Agent Orange, as well as secondary service connection for hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, and lack of blood flow to the lower extremities. The Veteran's reported exposure in Guam is being verified, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine the etiology of his diabetes and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of exposure to herbicides or in-service incurrence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss has also been denied due to lack of evidence showing the disability manifested within one year after separation from service.,Service connection for tinnitus was not granted because the Veteran did not report any symptoms related to this condition during service.

The Board has granted an annual clothing allowance for the 2016 calendar year due to wear and tear associated with the Veteran's use of a wheelchair, which is used as part of his treatment for service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2, with erectile dysfunction and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no indication of regulation of activities by a physician.,The Veteran's coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no evidence of congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30 and 50 percent, or workload less than 3 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and kidney failure. The claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's ischemic heart disease and/or diabetes caused or contributed to his death. A new medical opinion is needed.

The Board has found the prior opinions inadequate and requires additional clarification regarding the Veteran's chest pain and heart conditions. The Veteran needs to undergo an addendum opinion from a VA examiner that addresses her in-service risk factors for cardiac conditions, including obesity and high cholesterol, as well as her contention of symptoms beginning during service.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol abuse, as well as service connection for a respiratory disability, joint disability/arthralgia, tremor disability, and ischemic heart disease.,Service connection was not granted for any of the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence supporting their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease prior to May 26, 2021 was denied as the evidence did not support an evaluation higher than 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for chronic left bundle branch block and hypertensive heart disease, as well as for vertebral stroke, were denied by the Board.,For chronic left bundle branch block and hypertensive heart disease, a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to July 10, 2020, or in excess of 60 percent as of July 10, 2020, is not warranted. The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was rated at 30 percent prior to January 30, 2017 and granted a 60 percent rating from January 30, 2017. The claim for a higher rating after March 4, 2021 is denied.

The Board has found that the Veteran's heart disorder, including paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and sleep apnea. The case is being remanded for further evaluation by a cardiologist.