The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected paroxysmal atrial tachycardia does not warrant an evaluation higher than the current 30 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the veteran has subjective complaints of episodes of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia with symptoms such as heart palpitations, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and chest tightness lasting between 5 to 20 minutes each and occurring 2-3 times per week. These episodes are managed with medication. The most recent objective medical evidence shows a regular heart rate and rhythm; a normal sinus rhythm and axis by electrocardiogram; no ST or T-wave abnormalities; mildly decreased left ventricular function; trace mitral, aortic, and pulmonic insufficiencies; submaximal treadmill test results (72 percent of maximum predicted heart rate); and the veteran is able to perform moderate exercise with only very mild physical exertion. The Board concludes that these findings do not meet the criteria for an evaluation higher than 30 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- paroxysmal atrial tachycardia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 12, 2004
- Citation
- 0409498
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 464 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0409498.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted as presumptively related to his in-service exposure at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB. Service connection for chronic renal disease, anemia, and paroxysmal atrial tachycardia are also granted based on their proximate relationship to service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment during the period from January 24, 2008 through September 8, 2009.
- Denied
The Board denied readjudication of the claim for service connection for paroxysmal atrial tachycardia because no new and relevant evidence was received, despite the Veteran submitting VA treatment records and a personal statement.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU is denied as he was employed prior to May 19, 2009 and his service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable at that time.
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