YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Valvular Heart Disease VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Valvular Heart Disease under diagnostic code 7000, 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 Valvular Heart Disease
Damage to one or more of the heart valves, leading to poor circulation, fatigue, and chest pain.
The rating is based on METs testing, echocardiogram findings, and clinical history of heart failure episodes, following the same general cardiac framework used for other valve and vessel conditions.
- Diagnostic code
- 7000
- 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
Valvular Heart Disease VA rating criteria (DC 7000)
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 Valvular 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 Valvular 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 Valvular 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
Track activity limitations specifically, since exertional symptoms are what the METs-based rating schedule is built around.
- 02
Get an updated echocardiogram, since valve function can change over time and a current study best reflects your present condition.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Missing METs results, which leaves the exam without the specific measurement this rating depends on.
- 02
An unclear diagnosis of which valve is affected and how severely.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Missing repeat heart testing over time, since a single test may not reflect the condition's typical severity.
- 02
No symptom logs to give context to the clinical testing.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Valvular heart disease is often age-related, but can also result from an infection or rheumatic fever affecting the heart valves during or after service.
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 Valvular 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
Valvular Heart Disease by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate with cardiac workup.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~3,500 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 Valvular Heart Disease
Is Valvular Heart Disease a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Valvular Heart Disease under VASRD diagnostic code 7000 (Cardiovascular System). Damage to one or more of the heart valves, leading to poor circulation, fatigue, and chest pain.
What VA disability rating can I get for Valvular Heart Disease?
Possible VA ratings for Valvular 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 Valvular Heart Disease?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Valvular Heart Disease at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 3,500 veterans are service-connected for Valvular Heart Disease. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate with cardiac workup.
What evidence helps prove Valvular Heart Disease for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Valvular Heart Disease claim includes: Cardiology records documenting the specific valve affected and its severity; Stress test results establishing your METs capacity; Documentation of your specific METs level from testing.
Which DBQ is used for Valvular 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 Valvular Heart Disease?
Common pitfalls when filing for Valvular Heart Disease: Missing repeat heart testing over time, since a single test may not reflect the condition's typical severity; No symptom logs to give context to the clinical testing.
Does VA hold Valvular 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 Valvular Heart Disease in its cardiovascular section, 38 CFR 4.104.
What conditions can be secondary to Valvular Heart Disease?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Valvular Heart Disease, when a medical opinion links them, include: Atrial Fibrillation. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.104, Schedule of ratings, cardiovascular system (Diagnostic Code 7000)
- 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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