YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Peripheral Arterial Disease VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Peripheral Arterial Disease under diagnostic code 7114, in 38 CFR § 4.104 (cardiovascular system), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 100%, 60%, 40% and 20%.
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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 Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease is reduced arterial blood flow to a limb. Under DC 7114 the percentage is set by objective measurement rather than by symptoms: the ankle/brachial index (ABI), the ankle pressure, the toe pressure, or the transcutaneous oxygen tension. Each band lists all four measures, and meeting any one of them is enough. The lowest evaluation this code offers is 20 percent, and each affected limb is evaluated separately.
DC 7114 assigns a percentage from four interchangeable measures, and a band is met by at least one of them. 20 percent: ABI of 0.67-0.79; ankle pressure of 84-99 mm Hg; toe pressure of 50-59 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension of 50-59 mm Hg. 40 percent: ABI of 0.54-0.66; ankle pressure of 66-83 mm Hg; toe pressure of 40-49 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension of 40-49 mm Hg. 60 percent: ABI of 0.40-0.53; ankle pressure of 50-65 mm Hg; toe pressure of 30-39 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension of 30-39 mm Hg. 100 percent: ABI of 0.39 or less; ankle pressure less than 50 mm Hg; toe pressure less than 30 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension less than 30 mm Hg. Note (1) defines each measure and its normal value — ABI 0.80 or greater, ankle pressure 100 mm Hg or greater, toe pressure 60 mm Hg or greater, transcutaneous oxygen tension 60 mm Hg or greater — and requires that all measurements be determined by objective testing. Note (2) settles which test controls: where ankle pressure, toe pressure and transcutaneous oxygen tension testing are not of record, the evaluation is based on ABI, unless the examiner states that one of those tests is needed in a particular case because ABI does not sufficiently reflect the severity; in all other cases the evaluation is based on the test that provides the highest impairment value. Note (3) brings in residuals of aortic and large arterial bypass surgery or arterial graft, which are evaluated as peripheral arterial disease. Note (4) makes these evaluations per extremity: where more than one extremity is affected, each is evaluated separately and the results combined under § 4.25, using the bilateral factor under § 4.26 if applicable. Nothing in the code's criteria refers to symptoms, walking distance, or imaging findings.
- Diagnostic code
- 7114
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.104
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 60%, 40% and 20%
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
Peripheral Arterial Disease VA rating criteria (DC 7114)
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.
IN THE REGULATION’S OWN WORDS
What 38 CFR also says about Peripheral Arterial Disease
The notes 38 CFR Part 4 prints with these criteria, quoted. They govern how the evaluation is made without being a rating level themselves.
- “Note (1): The ankle/brachial index (ABI) is the ratio of the systolic blood pressure at the ankle divided by the simultaneous brachial artery systolic blood pressure. For the purposes of this diagnostic code, normal ABI will be greater than or equal to 0.80. The ankle pressure (AP) is the systolic blood pressure measured at the ankle. Normal AP is greater than or equal to 100 mm Hg. The toe pressure (TP) is the systolic blood pressure measured at the great toe. Normal TP is greater than or equal to 60 mm Hg. Transcutaneous oxygen tension (T c PO 2 ) is measured at the first intercostal space on the foot. Normal T c PO 2 is greater than or equal to 60 mm Hg. All measurements must be determined by objective testing.”DC 7114
- “Note (2): If AP, TP, and T c PO 2 testing are not of record, evaluate based on ABI unless the examiner states that an AP, TP, or T c PO 2 test is needed in a particular case because ABI does not sufficiently reflect the severity of the veteran's peripheral arterial disease. In all other cases, evaluate based on the test that provides the highest impairment value”DC 7114
- “Note (3): Evaluate residuals of aortic and large arterial bypass surgery or arterial graft as peripheral arterial disease.”DC 7114
- “Note (4): These evaluations involve a single extremity. If more than one extremity is affected, evaluate each extremity separately and combine (under § 4.25), using the bilateral factor (§ 4.26), if applicable.”DC 7114
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Peripheral Arterial 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 Peripheral Arterial 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 Peripheral Arterial 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 claim4 tips
- 01
Ask that the vascular study report the actual numbers rather than an impression. Every band in DC 7114 is a numeric range for ABI, ankle pressure, toe pressure, or transcutaneous oxygen tension, and Note (1) requires that all measurements be determined by objective testing.
- 02
Where more than one limb is affected, have each one tested and reported on its own. Note (4) evaluates a single extremity at a time and combines separate extremity evaluations under § 4.25, with the bilateral factor under § 4.26 where it applies.
- 03
If ABI is the only test in the file, Note (2) is the provision that governs: the evaluation is based on ABI unless the examiner states that an ankle pressure, toe pressure, or transcutaneous oxygen tension test is needed because ABI does not sufficiently reflect the severity. In all other cases, the evaluation is based on the test that provides the highest impairment value.
- 04
If the claim follows aortic or large arterial bypass surgery or an arterial graft, keep the operative report in the file. Note (3) directs that those residuals be evaluated as peripheral arterial disease under this code.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind4 tips
- 01
A record with no objective vascular testing at all, when Note (1) requires every measurement under this code to be determined by objective testing.
- 02
Circulation described qualitatively — diminished pulses, poor flow, cool skin — with no ABI, ankle pressure, toe pressure, or transcutaneous oxygen tension value, leaving no number to place against the bands.
- 03
Only one limb tested when both are affected, which leaves the second extremity without the separate evaluation Note (4) provides for.
- 04
An examiner who considers ABI insufficient to reflect the severity but does not say so in the report, since Note (2) makes that statement the basis for adding an ankle pressure, toe pressure, or transcutaneous oxygen tension test.
Common filing mistakes4 tips
- 01
Building the claim around symptoms — cramping, coldness, how far you can walk. DC 7114's bands contain no symptom criteria; they are ranges of ABI, ankle pressure, toe pressure, and transcutaneous oxygen tension.
- 02
Submitting imaging alone. A picture of a narrowed artery is not one of the four measures this code is graded by.
- 03
Letting one set of numbers stand in for both legs, when Note (4) evaluates each extremity separately and combines them under § 4.25 with the bilateral factor under § 4.26 if applicable.
- 04
Leaving bypass or graft surgery out of the claim, when Note (3) evaluates those residuals as peripheral arterial disease under this code.
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
The schedule does not describe a course of onset for this code. It ties the evaluation to test values at the time of measurement, read against the normal values Note (1) sets: ABI of 0.80 or greater, ankle pressure of 100 mm Hg or greater, and toe pressure and transcutaneous oxygen tension of 60 mm Hg or greater.
- 02
Some routes into DC 7114 have a defined starting point in the schedule. Note (3) evaluates residuals of aortic and large arterial bypass surgery or arterial graft as peripheral arterial disease, and DC 7111 (aneurysm, any large artery) directs that following surgery the evaluation be made under DC 7114. DC 7115 (thrombo-angiitis obliterans, Buerger's disease) also sends lower-extremity involvement to this code, though without any comparable timing trigger.
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 Peripheral Arterial 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
Peripheral Arterial Disease by the numbers
- Veterans service-connected
- ~12,000 veterans
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 Peripheral Arterial Disease
Is Peripheral Arterial Disease a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Peripheral Arterial Disease under VASRD diagnostic code 7114 (Cardiovascular System). Peripheral arterial disease is reduced arterial blood flow to a limb. Under DC 7114 the percentage is set by objective measurement rather than by symptoms: the ankle/brachial index (ABI), the ankle pressure, the toe pressure, or the transcutaneous oxygen tension. Each band lists all four measures, and meeting any one of them is enough. The lowest evaluation this code offers is 20 percent, and each affected limb is evaluated separately.
What VA disability rating can I get for Peripheral Arterial Disease?
Possible VA ratings for Peripheral Arterial Disease are 100%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 100%: At least one of the following: Ankle/brachial index less than or equal to 0.39; ankle pressure less than 50 mm Hg; toe pressure less than 30 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension less than 30 mm Hg; 60%: At least one of the following: Ankle/brachial index of 0.40-0.53; ankle pressure of 50-65 mm Hg; toe pressure of 30-39 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension of 30-39 mm Hg; 40%: At least one of the following: Ankle/brachial index of 0.54-0.66; ankle pressure of 66-83 mm Hg; toe pressure of 40-49 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension of 40-49 mm Hg.
What evidence helps prove Peripheral Arterial Disease for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Peripheral Arterial Disease claim includes: Vascular study results reporting the ankle/brachial index as a number, together with the ankle and brachial systolic pressures it was calculated from; Ankle pressure, toe pressure, or transcutaneous oxygen tension results where those tests were performed — each is an independent route into a band, and in all cases other than an ABI-only record Note (2) bases the evaluation on the test that provides the highest impairment value; Separate results for each affected extremity, since Note (4) evaluates one extremity at a time; Operative reports for aortic or large arterial bypass surgery or an arterial graft, which Note (3) evaluates as peripheral arterial disease.
Which DBQ is used for Peripheral Arterial Disease?
VA's Artery and Vein 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 Peripheral Arterial Disease?
Common pitfalls when filing for Peripheral Arterial Disease: Building the claim around symptoms — cramping, coldness, how far you can walk. DC 7114's bands contain no symptom criteria; they are ranges of ABI, ankle pressure, toe pressure, and transcutaneous oxygen tension; Submitting imaging alone. A picture of a narrowed artery is not one of the four measures this code is graded by; Letting one set of numbers stand in for both legs, when Note (4) evaluates each extremity separately and combines them under § 4.25 with the bilateral factor under § 4.26 if applicable; Leaving bypass or graft surgery out of the claim, when Note (3) evaluates those residuals as peripheral arterial disease under this code.
Does VA hold Peripheral Arterial 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 Peripheral Arterial Disease in its cardiovascular section, 38 CFR 4.104.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.104, Schedule of ratings, cardiovascular system (Diagnostic Code 7114)
- 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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