VASRD 7004 · Cardiovascular System
Syphilitic Heart Disease VA Disability Rating
Syphilitic heart disease is heart disease caused by a syphilis infection. DC 7004 carries no rating percentages of its own — it is evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Heart. That means the percentage turns on how much physical work your heart tolerates before heart failure symptoms appear, on whether cardiac imaging shows the heart has thickened or enlarged, and on whether continuous medication is required to control the condition.
VA Rating Tiers
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 100% | Heart failure symptoms appear at the lowest workload the schedule measures — 3.0 METs or less. |
| 60% | Heart failure symptoms appear at a workload between 3.1 and 5.0 METs. |
| 30% | Heart failure symptoms appear at a workload between 5.1 and 7.0 METs, or imaging confirms the heart is thickened or enlarged — either one on its own is enough. |
| 10% | Heart failure symptoms appear at a workload between 7.1 and 10.0 METs, or continuous medication is required to control it — either one on its own is enough. |
How the VA Evaluates Syphilitic Heart Disease
Because DC 7004 has no criteria of its own, the evaluation comes from the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Heart, which is built on METs (metabolic equivalents, a measure of exertion): 100 percent where a workload of 3.0 METs or less results in heart failure symptoms, 60 percent at 3.1-5.0 METs, 30 percent at 5.1-7.0 METs or where an echocardiogram or equivalent study (for example, a multigated acquisition scan or MRI) shows cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation, and 10 percent at 7.1-10.0 METs or where continuous medication is required for control. Two cross-references shape where this code sits. DC 6310 (Syphilis, and other treponema infections) assigns no percentage itself and instead directs that residual disability of the infection be rated under the appropriate body system, and its cross-reference list cites DC 7004 by number — so the cardiac residual, not the infection, is what carries the evaluation. And DC 7004's own note directs that syphilitic aortic aneurysms be evaluated under DC 7110 (Aortic aneurysm: Ascending, thoracic, abdominal) rather than here.
Veterans service-connected
~8,000 veterans
Typical rating awarded
~60%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule — not official VA statistics.
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Strategy Tips
- •Make sure the record contains a documented METs workload, since a METs finding is the only route the General Rating Formula gives to its 100 and 60 percent tiers, and one of the two routes at 30 percent and at 10 percent.
- •Ask that echocardiogram, multigated acquisition scan, or MRI findings be included in full, since cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation confirmed by that imaging meets the 30 percent criterion on its own, without a METs figure.
- •Keep the prescription record for any medication taken continuously to control the heart condition, since continuous medication required for control is its own route to the 10 percent tier.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •An exam that closes without a METs figure, which leaves the 100 and 60 percent tiers of the General Rating Formula — the two the schedule states no alternative for — with nothing to measure against.
- •Imaging referred to in the narrative but not attached, so the examiner cannot confirm the cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation the 30 percent criterion names.
- •Cardiac findings recorded without the examiner addressing whether they are attributable to the syphilis infection, which is what distinguishes this code from the other heart codes.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Filing on the infection history alone, without cardiac testing showing the heart involvement this code actually rates.
- •Expecting the infection code to carry the rating — DC 6310 assigns no percentage and routes residual disability to the body system affected.
- •Assuming an aortic aneurysm is covered by the evidence filed here, when the schedule evaluates syphilitic aortic aneurysms under DC 7110, on that code's own criteria rather than on this one's.
Onset Patterns
- •Nothing in DC 7004's rating criteria keys off when the heart disease began — the tiers read a current METs workload, current imaging, and current use of continuous medication for control, so the testing that moves the percentage is the most recent, not the earliest.
- •Where the infection has produced an aortic aneurysm, that finding leaves this code entirely: the schedule directs syphilitic aortic aneurysms to DC 7110.
Common questions about Syphilitic Heart Disease
- Is Syphilitic Heart Disease a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Syphilitic Heart Disease under VASRD diagnostic code 7004 (Cardiovascular System). Syphilitic heart disease is heart disease caused by a syphilis infection. DC 7004 carries no rating percentages of its own — it is evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Heart. That means the pe…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Syphilitic Heart Disease?
- Possible VA ratings for Syphilitic Heart Disease are 100%, 60%, 30%, 10%. Examples: 100%: Heart failure symptoms appear at the lowest workload the schedule measures — 3.0 METs or less.; 60%: Heart failure symptoms appear at a workload between 3.1 and 5.0 METs.; 30%: Heart failure symptoms appear at a workload between…
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Syphilitic Heart Disease?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Syphilitic Heart Disease at around 60%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 8,000 veterans are service-connected for Syphilitic Heart Disease.
- What evidence helps prove Syphilitic Heart Disease for VA disability?
- Common evidence for a Syphilitic Heart Disease claim includes a current medical diagnosis from a qualified provider, documentation of an in-service event or exposure, and statements describing functional impact.
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Syphilitic Heart Disease?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Syphilitic Heart Disease: Filing on the infection history alone, without cardiac testing showing the heart involvement this code actually rates.; Expecting the infection code to carry the rating — DC 6310 assigns no percentage and routes residual disability to the body system affected.;…
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.104 — Schedule of ratings — cardiovascular system (Diagnostic Code 7004)
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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