Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2016

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease with myocardial infarctions, finding that the Veteran's presence in Vietnam is established and he was exposed to herbicides. The hypertension claim remains pending as it does not involve a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's lung disorder was initially granted service connection with a 30 percent rating effective July 16, 2009.,A higher rating of 100 percent for the lung disorder is now warranted from February 19, 2015.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his service-connected conditions and their relationship to military service. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred during service and is not related to any in-service event or disease. As a result, the claim for service connection for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran does not have residuals of a left foot stress fracture, and his diabetes mellitus, hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary enlarged lymph nodes, and ankylosing spondylitis are not related to service.,The Veteran's weight gain during active duty is not considered causative for his current conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative disc disease and hypertension have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran has a current disability (degenerative disc disease) related to his in-service back pain, and also found that he had a current disability (hypertension) which is not secondary to any service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence showing a diagnosis of hypertension in 1982. The case will be readjudicated after an examination.

The Veteran's DM and heart disease are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.,The Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while stationed at Don Muang, Thailand. Based on this exposure, his hypertension, stroke, ED, numbness in both hands, and numbness in both feet are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension, intestinal tumors, and adrenal gland adenoma did not have their onset during service or within one year of separation from service and are not otherwise related to a disease, injury, or exposure of service origin.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and headaches, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service or his service-connected spine disabilities. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for increased ratings for his spine and foot disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including obtaining VA treatment records, determining service connection based on exposure in inland waters, and providing medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of each condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, asthma, panniculitis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus are not related to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board found no evidence of in-service herbicide exposure and denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension as the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam. The Board also noted that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between his current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's heart disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus are not shown to have onset during service or be related to herbicide exposure. As such, the claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his military service or caused by or aggravated by his service-connected coronary artery disease. The Veteran needs a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board is remanding the case for further development to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's heart conditions and their relationship to her service.

The Veteran's hypertension has been manifested by diastolic blood pressure of predominantly below 100 and systolic pressure predominantly below 160, requiring medication for control. The criteria for a compensable disability rating for hypertension are not met or nearly approximated.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus was reopened and granted. The Veteran's recurrent chronic bronchitis has been found to be related to his exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeals for all issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and his other diagnosed conditions.