Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a kidney condition, a bladder condition with blood in the urine, and chronic constipation with blood in the stool, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected intestinal schistosomiasis.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for any of the claimed disabilities, including those related to herbicide exposure.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, and a right knee disorder are being remanded due to the need to obtain his service medical records.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, left forearm scar, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and left shoulder strain are not met. The claim for an increased rating for the left foot disability is also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not etiologically related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including atherosclerosis, coronary artery bypass, left total knee arthroplasty and arthritis, ichthyosis vulgaris, right knee degenerative joint disease with arthritis, hypertension, lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, bilateral pes planus, right knee instability, iritis, impotence associated with atherosclerosis, and degenerative joint disease of the left elbow, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating schedule, and thus denied his claim.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, edema in the left lower extremity, and tissue thickening in the left lower extremity. The veteran's hypertension was not shown to be due to a service-connected disability or caused by diabetes. The examiner opined that the left leg edema is at least as likely as not related to venous insufficiency.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claims can be decided.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, which was previously denied in March 2003.

The veteran's claim for service connection for gastrointestinal bleeding has been reopened, but a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension is not granted due to blood pressure readings consistently below the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for cause of death due to new and material evidence submitted, including a medical opinion linking hypertension to the veteran's death. The claim is granted on the merits.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a disability incurred in service, including his service-connected back disability. Service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a low back disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The evidence did not support a medical nexus between these conditions and service.

The veteran's left nephrectomy and aldosteronoma are not service-connected. However, her hypertension is secondary to her aldosteronoma and likely related to pesticide exposure during service.

The veteran's hypertension is not rated higher than zero percent due to well-controlled blood pressure readings without continuous medication.,Sinusitis has been evaluated at the 10% level based on four non-incapacitating episodes per year with purulent discharge, headaches, and sinus pain.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, a heart disorder, and hypertension. The Board found that there was no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service, and concluded that they were not related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hypertension, weight gain and hair loss/skin disorder due to an undiagnosed illness. The Board found no credible evidence of in-service stressors for PTSD, and concluded that the veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claim for diabetes mellitus and found that his hypertension was not related to service-connected diabetes. The hypertension claim was also denied as new evidence did not reopen it.