Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in associating VA treatment records with the file, specifically two cardiac treatment notes from VistA Imaging.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension and its secondary effects on her heart condition, stroke residuals, and respiratory condition. The issues are being remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected coronary artery disease and presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hypertension, heart disability, and stroke residuals due to insufficient opinions addressing all theories of entitlement.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a history of arrhythmia, finding that his condition clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service-connected hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new examination and etiological opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension, as it is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected lupus, as the condition was inactive at the time of his death and did not contribute to his cause of death.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of recent studies by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) regarding hypertension and herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for arthritis, hypertension, and knee disabilities due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not have its onset during service and is not related to in-service exposure to herbicides. The Board also found no causal relationship between his hypertension and his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected conditions, including heart disorder, various types of peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to incomplete VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure did not have their onset during service and are not otherwise related to service. The claims for these conditions were denied.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,Left foot frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,Right foot frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,Right hand frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,Left hand frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be due to herbicide agent exposure during service.,COPD, emphysema, and asthma are presumed to be due to herbicide agent exposure during service.,Diverticulitis with colon polyps are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and thoracic aortic aneurysm, finding that the Veteran's current cardiovascular disorders were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected bipolar disorder or Seroquel use.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hypertension and its relation to service, Agent Orange exposure, or diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic kidney disease with hypertension (claimed as hypertension) is denied for the period from September 7, 2011 to February 18, 2019. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent under Diagnostic Code 7541.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete documentation and a need for an addendum medical opinion. The Veteran's death is related to negligence in both allowing him to use the bathroom unattended and performing the thoracotomy procedure.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to address his service-connected disabilities, including headaches, COPD, diarrhea, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran also has several issues related to service connection that are being addressed in the remand process.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for pes planus (flat feet) is denied as the current 30 percent rating adequately reflects his disability.,His hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension, finding that the conditions did not onset during or as a result of active duty from July 1974 to July 1978 or manifest within one year thereafter. The Veteran's preexisting conditions were found to have been aggravated by his INACDUTRA/ADSW period in September 2001-September 2002, but the Board concluded that this aggravation was not beyond its natural progression.