YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Hypertensive Heart Disease VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Hypertensive Heart Disease under diagnostic code 7007, in 38 CFR § 4.104 (cardiovascular system), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Hypertensive Heart Disease
Hypertensive heart disease is heart damage caused by long-standing high blood pressure, which forces the heart to work harder over time and can lead to thickening of the heart muscle, reduced pumping efficiency, or heart failure. It's a PACT Act presumptive condition for many Vietnam-era veterans with qualifying Agent Orange exposure.
Like other cardiac conditions, the rating is based on METs testing (how much exertion triggers symptoms), ejection fraction, and imaging of the heart's structure, along with whether you require continuous medication just to manage the condition.
- Diagnostic code
- 7007
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.104
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Hypertensive Heart Disease VA rating criteria (DC 7007)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Hypertensive Heart Disease claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Hypertensive Heart Disease?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Hypertensive Heart Disease claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim2 tips
- 01
Get a METs test or echocardiogram done, since these are the specific measurements the rating schedule uses to determine severity.
- 02
Show a treatment history for both the underlying hypertension and any cardiac symptoms, since this condition specifically requires demonstrating the heart damage caused by the blood pressure, not just the blood pressure itself.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Not obtaining a METs test or ejection fraction measurement, since without these specific values, the examiner has little basis to assign more than the lowest tier.
- 02
Missing documented proof of a hypertension history, since this condition specifically requires showing the heart damage stems from chronic high blood pressure.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Not including diagnostic imaging (echocardiogram) that shows the actual cardiac impact of the hypertension.
- 02
Listing only high blood pressure readings without evidence of actual heart disease, since this code rates the cardiac damage, not hypertension alone.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Hypertensive heart disease typically develops gradually after years of untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure placing sustained strain on the heart.
WHEN VA HOLDS THE LINK
After a service-connected lower-extremity amputation
38 CFR 3.310(c): “Ischemic heart disease or other cardiovascular disease developing in a veteran who has a service-connected amputation of one lower extremity at or above the knee or service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles, shall be held to be the proximate result of the service-connected amputation or amputations.”
38 CFR 3.310(c) does not define "other cardiovascular disease". The rating schedule evaluates Hypertensive Heart Disease in its cardiovascular section, 38 CFR 4.104.
- DC 5160
Complete Amputation of the Lower Extremity (Hip Disarticulation or Trans-Pelvic)
One service-connected amputation at this level meets the rule.
- DC 5161
Amputation of Thigh at Upper Third
One service-connected amputation at this level meets the rule.
- DC 5162
Amputation of Thigh at Middle or Lower Third
One service-connected amputation at this level meets the rule.
- DC 5163
Amputation of Leg, with Defective Stump
Below the knee: meets the rule only with service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles.
- DC 5164
Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action
Below the knee: meets the rule only with service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Hypertensive Heart Disease by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- High – common if cardiac tests and blood pressure history available.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~38,000 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~30%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Hypertensive Heart Disease
Is Hypertensive Heart Disease a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Hypertensive Heart Disease under VASRD diagnostic code 7007 (Cardiovascular System). Hypertensive heart disease is heart damage caused by long-standing high blood pressure, which forces the heart to work harder over time and can lead to thickening of the heart muscle, reduced pumping efficiency, or heart failure. It's a PACT Act presumptive condition for many Vietnam-era veterans with qualifying Agent Orange exposure.
What VA disability rating can I get for Hypertensive Heart Disease?
Possible VA ratings for Hypertensive Heart Disease are 100%, 60%, 30%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 100%: Workload of 3.0 METs or less results in heart failure symptoms; 60%: Workload of 3.1-5.0 METs results in heart failure symptoms; 30%: Workload of 5.1-7.0 METs results in heart failure symptoms; or evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation confirmed by echocardiogram or equivalent (e.g., multigated acquisition scan or magnetic resonance imaging).
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Hypertensive Heart Disease?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Hypertensive Heart Disease at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 38,000 veterans are service-connected for Hypertensive Heart Disease. Estimated approval outlook: High – common if cardiac tests and blood pressure history available.
What evidence helps prove Hypertensive Heart Disease for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Hypertensive Heart Disease claim includes: An echocardiogram showing the heart's structure and function; Stress test results establishing your METs capacity; A medication history showing ongoing treatment for both hypertension and cardiac symptoms.
Which DBQ is used for Hypertensive Heart Disease?
VA's Heart Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Hypertensive Heart Disease?
Common pitfalls when filing for Hypertensive Heart Disease: Not including diagnostic imaging (echocardiogram) that shows the actual cardiac impact of the hypertension; Listing only high blood pressure readings without evidence of actual heart disease, since this code rates the cardiac damage, not hypertension alone.
Does VA hold Hypertensive Heart Disease to be the result of a service-connected lower-extremity amputation?
38 CFR 3.310(c): "Ischemic heart disease or other cardiovascular disease developing in a veteran who has a service-connected amputation of one lower extremity at or above the knee or service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles, shall be held to be the proximate result of the service-connected amputation or amputations." 38 CFR 3.310(c) does not define "other cardiovascular disease". The rating schedule evaluates Hypertensive Heart Disease in its cardiovascular section, 38 CFR 4.104.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.104, Schedule of ratings, cardiovascular system (Diagnostic Code 7007)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR § 3.310(c), cardiovascular disease after a service-connected lower-extremity amputation
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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