Gasping For Air. I am service connected for severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The proposed changes incorporate medical advances that have occurred since the last review, update medical terminology, and clarify evaluation criteria Claire Szewczyk Updated: November 7, 2022. Veterans, do you think you might have Sleep Apnea? Because of this close relationship between ischemic heart disease and heart failure, its important for anyone diagnosed with one of these conditions to be closely monitored by a cardiologist. She was a former US Airforce civilian employee, who worked at Hill Air Force Base, in Layton, UT as a flight testing administrator. He is aformer active duty Air Force officerwith extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. WebA magnifying glass. Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently, causing a buildup of fluid in the lungs and other tissues. Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider. Generally, there are three types of sleep apnea: Oftentimes, the symptoms of the three types of sleep apnea can overlap, making diagnosis more difficult. If youre stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you! Schedule for Rating Disabilities: The Cardiovascular System Further compounding the issue is there seems to Proper detection and treatment of sleep apnea might Disability terminology chart. This may seem redundant, especially if the primary condition has already been assessed, however it is still important to attend the exam and cooperate with the examiner. How Does Chronic Congestive Heart Failure Affect Ischemic Heart Disease? If your VA rating is higher (30 - 100%), consider filing a claim. Okay veterans lets take a minute to explore the law regarding the symptoms and level of impairment required to warrant a VA disability rating for Sleep Apnea. Sleep apnea can cause various health problems, including heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.. Pittsburgh, PA: 201 Penn Center Boulevard, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235 Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. Youll want to explain to the C&P examiner HOW your Sleep Apnea condition is limiting or affecting your work, life, and social functioning. His eBook, the9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claimhas been downloaded more than 300,000 times in the past three years and is the #1 rated free VA disability claims guide for veterans. Some doctors may have you fill out a questionnaire about your sleep habits. When someone has sleep apnea, their body doesnt get the oxygen it needs. VA rates hypertension the same whether service connection is established directly, presumptively, or secondarily due to sleep apnea. Symptoms of Congestive heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in the legs and feet. Two disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea and diabetes would seem to have no connection at all however the data can be surprising. If a veteran is service-connected for anxiety or depression, they may be able to receive secondary service connection for their sleep apnea. It can be due to plaque buildup, which is made up of fat, cholesterol, and other substances. #1: Air is pulled in through the nasal passages. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you. As an Intelligence Officer, she led teams of analysts to apply advanced analytic skills to identify, assess, and report potential threats to U.S. forces. This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month. 2019 Since sleep apnea can correlate with conditions like heart disease and obesity, its important to seek treatment options. Sleep apnea is a common condition that affects about22 million people nationwide. You might also like the following Blog posts about Sleep Apnea: #2. All Rights Reserved. Research has shown that combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, also known asPTSD, may be at higher risk for sleep apnea than the general population. If the VA grants service connection for both conditions, they will only assign whichever has the higher rating. Usually, a sleep specialist will monitor the veterans breathing overnight for a sleep study. By using our website, you agree to the use of certain cookies. Contact the VA-accredited veterans disability attorneys and claims agents at CCK today at 800-544-9144. It can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. a medical nexus or link that shows the veterans sleep apnea is related to their in-service event, injury/illness. When I was on active duty, I had a ton of sleep issues, but I never realized those symptoms might have been due to an underlying sleep apnea condition. WebAccording to Jeremy Tietjens, MD, a clinical fellow at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, sleep apnea is associated with a variety of cardiovascular conditions and outcomes, but the strongest associations are with high blood pressure, arrhythmias (especially atrial fibrillation), and heart failure. yet assertive representation for our clients. Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing, A whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling, Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or the flu, Re-experiencing the trauma through recurrent memories, flashbacks, and nightmares, Avoidance of people, places, and activities that are reminders of the trauma, Increased arousal such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, Difficulty maintaining relationships with others, Thick, discolored discharge from the nose, Drainage down the back of the throat (postnasal drainage), Nasal obstruction or congestion, causing difficulty breathing through your nose, Pain, tenderness, and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose, or forehead. Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. I have diagnoses post-service for GERD, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The chemical has been linked to various health problems, including cancer, congenital disabilities, and ischemic heart disease. Medical Nexus Letter from a qualified doctor. In order to determine whether you should be referred for a sleep study, a doctor will first perform a physical exam, ask about symptoms, and collect your personal and family history. This guide will provide an overview of the most common conditions secondary to ischemic heart disease. Sleep apnea increases the risk of heart failure by 140% and the risk of coronary heart disease by 30%. Exploring the Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease Valvular heart disease is often a secondary condition to another form of heart disease, such as ischemic heart disease. The obvious answer is the wrong answer. Being honest and thorough is important so everything can be properly documented. Filing a claim for secondary service connection is largely the same as filing a claim for primary service connection. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. Do you take naps? Yes, Sleep Apnea is a VA disability and its rated under diagnostic code 6847, Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed). VA If youre a veteran with ischemic heart disease and struggling to get the rating you deserve, the expert coaches at VA Claims Insider can help you file for a VA rating. Veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War are at an increased risk for developing ischemic heart disease, and many receive disability benefits as a result. For years, the elephant in the room in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities has been sleep apnea. While the symptoms of heart failure can seem to come out of nowhere, the condition is often the result of another underlying cardiovascular problem. This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine puts it simply. If you have been exposed to Agent Orange, it is important to talk to your doctor about your risk factors for ischemic heart disease. Your Sleep Apnea VA Rating A Guide to Getting a VA Disability Rating for Sleep Apnea, Top 10 Questions About Military Sexual Trauma (MST), A post shared by VA Claims Insider (@vaclaimsinsider). Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a persons breathing is interrupted during sleep. Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Success Managers having gone through our programs. Good news, there is a better way and theres a laundry list of possible sleep apnea secondary conditions. A polysomnogram is a sleep study in which medical devices are used to monitor a persons breathing, heart rate, and the electrical activity of their brain waves while they sleep. If your VA claim was denied, we may be able to assist you. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Do Heart Stents Qualify for VA Disability Benefits? These secondary conditions can significantly impact a patients quality of life and, in some cases, can be life-threatening. Sleep Apnea, Obesity, and Heart Disease For secondary service connection to sleep apnea, veterans will need: When filing a claim for secondary service connection, veterans can use the same form as primary service connection (VA Form 21-526EZ). Like my comments toward the beginning of this Coronary Artery Disease They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] This blockage is caused when the back throat muscles relax, impairing the airflow. A 2023 Guide to VA Disability Rates & Pay Schedules, Individual Unemployability Rating Calculator, List of Blue Water Navy Ships Exposed to Agent Orange (Interactive Vietnam Map), Social Security Disability Benefits Guide, sleep apnea as a secondary service connected condition to PTSD, Calculate Your Potential Compensation Now.

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