Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and consideration of lay contentions. The Veteran is scheduled for VA examinations to address his claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and coronary artery disease due to a lack of VA examination, and requests additional development including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion on the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's heart disability, diagnosed as spastic coronary artery disease, finding that it had its onset in and is related to service. The weight of evidence supports this decision.

Service connection is granted for COPD, but the claims of service connection for granulomatous lung disease and heart disease are remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and increased disability evaluations have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and bradyarrhythmia due to potential exposure to herbicide agents and mustard gas in Okinawa during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied as there was no prior formal or informal claim filed before May 13, 2019.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for ischemic heart disease as new and relevant evidence was submitted after the February 2020 rating decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for incomplete left bundle branch block was granted. The claims for hypertensive heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, as well as hypogonadism, were remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disorder and remanded the claims of service connection for vascular/venous insufficiency of the left and right lower extremities. The Veteran's service treatment records were silent for any diagnosis or treatment related to these conditions, and post-service medical records do not establish current disabilities.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease did not result in more than one episode of congestive heart failure within a year, or workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent prior to June 24, 2021. Therefore, the Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's heart disability is related to his in-service sinus bradycardia, while his BPH may be linked to age rather than service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) as it did not result from an injury or disease incurred in line of duty during a period of active duty, inactive duty training, or travel to/from such periods.

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, lung cancer and COPD, prostate cancer, ECA (stroke), and ED due to herbicide exposure.,Service treatment records did not show any complaints or diagnoses related to the conditions. The Veteran's post-service medical records indicated diagnoses of these conditions but they were not within one year after discharge from service.

The Board has determined that the service connection issues adjudicated in the January 2019 rating decision need to be remanded due to an error in docketing under the modernized review system. The Veteran will receive a statement of the case regarding these issues, and he can choose to opt into the modernized review system if desired.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The claims are related to dental condition, left upper eyelid papilloma, dry eye syndrome, cataracts, and ischemic heart disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability, including coronary heart disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), and cardiomyopathy, is not related to his service or exposure to herbicide agents. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type 2, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents was not established based on his military duties as an Aircraft Maintenance Specialist. The claims were decided on a direct basis without any presumption of service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, both secondary to exposure to herbicide agents, have been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's heart transplant due to ischemic cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent, which is the minimum rating allowed under new criteria effective November 14, 2021. The evidence does not show that his workload of more than three METs results in symptoms consistent with heart failure.