Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, which results in diastolic pressure no worse than 104 and systolic pressure no worse than 180, does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 7101. The veteran's hypertension is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and myocardial infarction. A VA examination is needed to determine the diagnosis, date of onset, and etiology of any currently diagnosed cardiovascular disease.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board found no medical evidence indicating a nexus between the veteran's in-service systolic heart murmur and any current heart disability, including hypertension. Therefore, service connection for a heart disorder with hypertension was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic disability resulting from inservice dysentery, dengue fever, or injuries to his right great toe, ankles, knees, or pes planus. The service medical records do not show any such conditions.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current residuals of frostbite of the feet, hypertension was diagnosed during service and is not related to service, hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown by current medical evidence, and PTSD was not diagnosed. The claim for PTSD will be remanded due to lack of verification of stressor events.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and a need for further examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and PTSD. For hypertension, there is no evidence of current disability or a medical link to service. For PTSD, while the veteran reported in-service stressors, there is insufficient supporting evidence to corroborate these events.

The Board has determined that further development of the evidence is needed before deciding the claims for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cardiovascular disease, to include hypertension, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by his first period of military service and did not pre-exist his second period of service. As a result, service connection for hypertension was denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to report for scheduled examinations. The case will be readjudicated based on the evidence added since the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, as they do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran perfected an appeal for service connection for right otitis media, a bilateral eustachian tube dysfunction, and hypertension. The appeal is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability, including his hypertension and PTSD. The cause of death was attributed to metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

The Board denied service connection for a heart murmur and hypertension with mild left ventricular hypertrophy, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board found that hypertension was not present in service or within the first post-service year, and thus denied the claim of service connection for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected PTSD and grants service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for hypertension, hypertensive arteriosclerotic heart disease with old myocardial infarction, and residuals of right and left knee injuries were denied. The claim for lumbosacral strain remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia as secondary to the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus (DM). The initial ratings for DM with diabetic retinopathy have been increased, but not beyond the maximum allowed. Ratings for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy remain at 10 percent.