Limitations related to heart disease and heart failure are recognized by the Social Security Administration as listing level impairments. That means that if you meet the definitions provided by the Social Security Administration, you can be found disabled.
Can I get Social Security Disability for Heart Disease?
Limitations related to heart disease and heart failure are recognized by the Social Security Administration as listing level impairments. That means that if you meet the definitions provided by the Social Security Administration, you can be found disabled.
Social Security defines a cardiovascular impairment as
a. We mean any disorder that affects the proper functioning of the heart or the circulatory system (that is, arteries, veins, capillaries, and the lymphatic drainage). The disorder can be congenital or acquired.
b. Cardiovascular impairment results from one or more of four consequences of heart disease:
(i) Chronic heart failure or ventricular dysfunction.
(ii) Discomfort or pain due to myocardial ischemia, with or without necrosis of heart muscle.
(iii) Syncope, or near syncope, due to inadequate cerebral perfusion from any cardiac cause, such as obstruction of flow or disturbance in rhythm or conduction resulting in inadequate cardiac output.
(iv) Central cyanosis due to right-to-left shunt, reduced oxygen concentration in the arterial blood, or pulmonary vascular disease.
Social Security will also consider vascular impairments including ruptures, obstructions, or aneurism of the lower extremity. There are specific listings for these types of vascular issues.
In order to prove up a claim under the Cardiovascular listings the Social Security Administration will look for
- Objective Medical evidence like test results, physical examination and lab studies.
- If you do not have sufficient documentation the Social Security Administration will consider what evidence you do have plus evidence of other medical issues and physical restrictions.
Chronic Heart Failure is covered by Social Security Listing 4.02:
4.02 Chronic heart failure while on a regimen of prescribed treatment, with symptoms and signs described in 4.00D2. The required level of severity for this impairment is met when the requirements in both A and B are satisfied.
A. Medically documented presence of one of the following:
1. Systolic failure (see 4.00D1a(i)), with left ventricular end diastolic dimensions greater than 6.0 cm or ejection fraction of 30 percent or less during a period of stability (not during an episode of acute heart failure); or
2. Diastolic failure (see 4.00D1a(ii)), with left ventricular posterior wall plus septal thickness totaling 2.5 cm or greater on imaging, with an enlarged left atrium greater than or equal to 4.5 cm, with normal or elevated ejection fraction during a period of stability (not during an episode of acute heart failure);
AND
B. Resulting in one of the following:
1. Persistent symptoms of heart failure which very seriously limit the ability to independently initiate, sustain, or complete activities of daily living in an individual for whom an MC, preferably one experienced in the care of patients with cardiovascular disease, has concluded that the performance of an exercise test would present a significant risk to the individual; or
2. Three or more separate episodes of acute congestive heart failure within a consecutive 12-month period (see 4.00A3e), with evidence of fluid retention (see 4.00D2b(ii)) from clinical and imaging assessments at the time of the episodes, requiring acute extended physician intervention such as hospitalization or emergency room treatment for 12 hours or more, separated by periods of stabilization (see 4.00D4c); or
3. Inability to perform on an exercise tolerance test at a workload equivalent to 5 METs or less due to:
a. Dyspnea, fatigue, palpitations, or chest discomfort; or
b. Three or more consecutive premature ventricular contractions (ventricular tachycardia), or increasing frequency of ventricular ectopy with at least 6 premature ventricular contractions per minute; or
c. Decrease of 10 mm Hg or more in systolic pressure below the baseline systolic blood pressure or the preceding systolic pressure measured during exercise (see 4.00D4d) due to left ventricular dysfunction, despite an increase in workload; or
d. Signs attributable to inadequate cerebral perfusion, such as ataxic gait or mental confusion.
This is one example of the Social Security Listing requirement. You can find more Social Security Listings for Cardiovascular Impairments at the link below.
https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/4.00-Cardiovascular-Adult.htm
As you can see, process for proving up a claim for disability benefits can be time consuming and requires some technical knowledge. An experienced Social Security Disability Attorney can help. I offer a free consultation by phone. Call my office at 817-361-4479. I handle disability cases on a contingency fee basis so there is no risk to you.
