Social Security Disability - Heart Disease & Other Cardiovascular Disabilities

The Social Security Administration organizes Cardiovascular System disabilities into these eight categories:

Chronic Heart Failure
Ischemic Heart Disease
Recurrent Arrhythmias
Symptomatic Congenital Heart Disease
Heart Transplant
Aneurysm of Aorta or major Branches
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Peripheral Arterial Disease

When reviewing Cardiovascular Disability applications and appeals for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, the Social Security Administration pays close attention to how the cardiovascular disability affects the claimant’s ability to work. If your disability prevents you from working for at least twelve consecutive months, you most likely qualify for SSDI. Call Freedom Disability at (866) 761-5942 to speak with our professional Advocates who have the experience needed to win your claim. Our Advocates can help determine if your condition is likely to result in a successful SSDI application. If you do qualify, we can provide you with the assistance that you need to get the benefits that you deserve. If you have previously been denied benefits, but feel your condition makes you eligible, contact us today at (866) 761-5942.

Chronic Heart Failure

Chronic Heart Failure is the inability for the heart to pump sufficient oxygen to the rest of the body. Chronic Heart Failure are characterized symptoms are characterized by limited cardiac output or signs of pulmonary or systematic congestion (fluid retention). Freedom Disability will assist you in gathering the required medical documents to support your claim. Claimants are typically approved for SSDI applications and appeals with medically documented presence of one of the following symptoms:

Systolic failure with left ventricular end diastolic dimensions greater than 6.0 cm or ejection fraction of 30 percent or less during a period of stability

Diastolic failure with left ventricular posterior wall plus septal thickness totaling 2.5 cm or greater on imaging. The left atrium must be enlarged greater than or equal to 4.5 cm, with elevated or normal ejection fraction during a period of stability

These symptoms must result in at least one of the following:

Reoccurring symptoms of heart failure, which significantly limit your ability to complete everyday tasks, required for independent living. The completion of these tasks must present a significant risk to the claimant.

Three of more episodes of acute heart failure within a consecutive twelve-month period with clinical and imaging evidence of fluid retention. These episodes must require hospitalization or extended physician intervention.

Inability to perform an exercise tolerance test at a workload equivalent to 5 METs or less due to:

Three or more consecutive premature ventricular contractions, or increasing frequency of ventricular ectopy with at least 6 premature ventricular contractions per minute

Dyspnea, palpitations, chest discomfort or fatigue

Signs attributed to inadequate cerebral perfusion such as mental confusion or ataxic gait

Decrease of 10mm Hg or more in systolic pressure below the baseline systolic blood pressure or the preceding systolic pressure measured during exercise due to left ventricular dysfunction despite an increase in workload.

If you feel you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, or have any questions concerning your symptoms call Freedom Disability today at (866) 761-5942 for a free evaluation with one of our Advocates. Freedom Advocates specialize in Social Security Disability applications and appeals providing the professional experience needed to win your claim. Back to Cardiac Disabilities

Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) is occurs when one or more of your coronary arteries is narrowed or obstructed, which interferes with normal blood flow to your heart muscle. Claimants are typically approved for Social Security Disability Insurance applications and appeals with symptoms due to myocardial ischemia, while on a regimen of prescribed treatment with at least one of the following:

Sign or symptoms limited exercise tolerance test at a workload equivalent to 5 METs or less indicating at least one of the following:

Down sloping or horizontal depression, in the absence of digitalis glycoside treatment of hypokalemia, or the ST segment of at least -0.10 millivolts in at least 3 consecutive complexes that are on a baseline level in any lead other than aVR, and depression of at least -0.10 millivolts lasting for at least one minute of recovery

Decrease of 10 mm Hg or more in systolic pressure below the baseline blood pressure or the preceding systolic pressure measured during exercise due to left ventricular dysfunction, despite and increase in workload

At least 0.1 millivolt ST elevation above resting baseline in non-infarct leads during both exercise and one of more minutes of recovery
Documented ischemia at an exercise level equivalent to 5 METs or less on appropriate medical imaging such as radionuclide perfusion scans or stress echocardiography
Three separate ischemic episodes, each requiring revascularization within a consecutive twelve month period

Coronary artery disease, demonstrated by angiography or appropriate medical imaging, and in the absence of an exercise tolerance test or normal drug induced stress test. An medical consultant must also conclude performance of an exercise tolerance test would present a significant risk to the claimant with both of the following:

Angiographic evidence showing the narrowing of the coronary artery (your Freedom Advocate will assist you with the specific dimensions).

Significant limitation in the ability to independently initiate, sustain and complete activities of daily living

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Recurrent Arrhythmias

Recurrent Arrhythmias are characterized by changes in your regular heartbeat. Your heart may seem to skip a beat, beat irregularly, or beat very slowly. Claimants are typically approved for Social Security Disability benefits applications and appeals when their arrhythmias are not related to reversible causes result in recurrent, episodes of cardiac syncope, or near syncope, despite prescribed treatment. The arrhythmias must be documented by resting or ambulatory electrocardiography or other appropriate medical testing. Back to Cardiac Disabilities

Symptomatic Congenital Heart Disease

Claimants applying or appealing for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits with Symptomatic Congenital Heart Disease are typically approved when they present documentation of the disease with appropriate medical imaging or cardiac catheterization with at least one of the following:

Cyanosis at rest and

Hematocrit of 55 percent or greater

Arterial O 2 saturation of less than 90 percent of room air, or resting PO 2 of 60 Torr or less
Intermittent left to right shunting resulting in cyanosis on exertion and with arterial PO 2 of 60 Torr or less at a workload of 5 METs or less

Secondary pulmonary vascular obstructive disease with pulmonary arterial systolic pressure elevated to at least 70 percent of the systemic arterial systolic pressure

If you believe your condition qualifies for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits call Freedom Disability today at (866) 761-5942 for a free evaluation with one of our professional Advocates. At Freedom we specialize in Social Security applications and appeals and our Advocates have the past experience needed to win your claim. Call Freedom today and start your application for the benefits you deserve. Back to Cardiac Disabilities

Heart Transplant

Claimants are considered to be under disability for one year after surgery. Past that date, beneficiaries will be reviewed and evaluated at their current state. Back to Cardiac Disabilities

Aneurysm of Aorta or Major Branches

Claimants applying or appealing for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits with aneurysms of the aorta or major branches of the heart due to any cause are typically approved when their condition is documented by appropriate medical imaging with dissection not controlled by prescribed treatment. Back to Cardiac Disabilities

Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Claimants applying and appealing for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are typically approved with chronic venous insufficiency of a lower extremity with incompetence or obstruction of the deep venous system and one of the following:

Extensive brawny edema involving at least two thirds of the leg between the ankle and knee, or the distal one third between the ankle and hip

Superficial varicosities, stasis dermatitis and either recurrent ulceration or persistent ulceration that has not healed following at least three months of prescribed treatment

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Peripheral Arterial Disease

Claimants with Peripheral Arterial Disease are typically approved for applications and appeals when their condition, as determined by medically appropriate imaging, causing intermittent claudication and one of the following symptoms:

Resting ankle/brachial systolic blood pressure of less than 0.50

Decrease in systolic blood pressure at the ankle on exercise of 50 percent or more of pre-exercise level and requiring 10 minutes or more to return to pre-exercise level

Resting toe systolic pressure of less than 30 mm Hg

Resting toe/brachial blood pressure ratio of less than 0.40 Back to Cardiac Disabilities

If you feel your condition qualifies you for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits call Freedom Disability today at (866) 761-5942 for a free evaluation with one of our Social Security Advocates. Our advocates will assist you in gathering the necessary medical documents needed for you claim and provide the professional experience to be approved as soon as possible. Call Freedom today to begin the process of receiving the SSDI benefits that you deserve.

The foregoing information is based on published materials from the Social Security Administration (“Disability Evaluation Under Social Security”). It is meant to serve as an introduction to some of the factors used by the SSA in evaluating cases. It is no way comprehensive. While Freedom Disability can help you prepare an effective application for benefits, only the SSA can determine whether or not you qualify. For more information call Freedom today at (866) 761-5942.