Hypertension (high blood pressure) Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and asthma, finding that there was no showing of diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more or systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more to warrant a higher evaluation. The appeal regarding the asthma claim was dismissed due to untimely filing of a substantive appeal.

The veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease was rated at 60% from August 5, 2003 onwards, reflecting a significant improvement in his condition as evidenced by normal EKG results and an estimated left ventricular ejection fraction of 48-61%. The peripheral vascular disease and diabetes mellitus were also granted ratings.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for hypertension and coronary artery disease as secondary to PTSD due to a lack of VA examination. The veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension. The veteran's claim for chloracne as due to herbicide exposure was not reopened.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for hypertension and heart disease prior to the Board's decision. The issue of an initial compensable rating for pleural plaques and calcified asbestosis node is being remanded for further development.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with dilated congestive cardiomyopathy and hypertension, was not caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus or PTSD. The claim is denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal on several issues related to disability ratings for different conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his inability to attend the scheduled hearing. His case will be processed as though the request for a hearing had been withdrawn.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her service connection claims, including obtaining her service medical records and any pertinent evidence from the Social Security Administration.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus are service-connected.

The Board found no evidence of hypertension during service or within the presumptive period, and concluded that there is not a link between current hypertension and service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the veteran's hypertension was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus grants service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD as the evidence did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and there was no credible supporting evidence that the claimed stressors actually occurred.

The evidence does not support the claim that the veteran's current cervical spine, upper extremity, low back, lower extremity, or hypertension disabilities are caused by the July 1989 anterior fusion at C4-C5 performed at a VA medical facility in Temple, Texas.

The veteran is seeking service connection for heart disease, including coronary artery disease and hypertension, as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case has been remanded due to the need for clarification of whether the service-connected diabetes mellitus aggravates or worsens the veteran's heart disease.

The veteran's hypertension is not manifested by diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more. Therefore, a compensable rating for hypertension is denied.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to coronary artery disease, which was not found to be related to his military service. The DIC claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 was also denied as there was no evidence showing that the veteran would have been entitled to a 100% rating for at least ten years prior to his death.

The veteran's combined disability rating of 40 percent does not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence does not support referral for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, low back disability, prostate disability, residuals of burn scars on the back and left arm, status post fracture of distal phalanx of the left great toe, and a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and tinea pedis. The issues of increased ratings for hypertension and service connection for residuals of a left ankle injury are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist, and cardiac arrhythmia secondary to hypertension.