Heart Valve Conditions — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Heart Valve Conditions
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960A-1 (Heart Conditions (Including Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Heart Disease, Arrhythmias, Valvular Disease and Cardiac Surgery)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Heart Valve Conditions — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Heart Valve Conditions, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Heart Valve Conditions
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.104, DC 7000 (valvular heart disease), General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Heart. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Workload of 7.1 to 10.0 METs results in heart failure symptoms; or continuous medication required for control.
Workload of 5.1 to 7.0 METs results in heart failure symptoms; or evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation confirmed by echocardiogram or equivalent.
Workload of 3.1 to 5.0 METs results in heart failure symptoms.
Workload of 3.0 METs or less results in heart failure symptoms.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Heart Valve Conditions raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Heart Valve Conditions claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 2017 · PMID 28315200
Finding: This review of mediastinal/thoracic radiation found that valvular heart disease is a recognized late complication, typically affecting the left-sided valves with aortic regurgitation most common and occasionally progressing to aortic stenosis requiring surgery, with cardiovascular events manifesting many years after exposure.
Why it helps: Supports an association between documented thoracic or mediastinal radiation exposure and later development of valvular heart disease, which can help frame a direct service-connection theory for veterans with a verified radiation-exposure history.
MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2003 · PMID 12645840
Finding: During a 7-week period, 163 Marine Corps recruits were admitted for possible pneumonia; pneumonia was confirmed in 128 (79%), of which 31 (24%) were caused by group A streptococci, occurring despite routine chemoprophylaxis. The report notes this was the same training facility as a prior 1987 rheumatic fever outbreak.
Why it helps: Supports an association between crowded military recruit/training environments and group A streptococcal outbreaks, the infection responsible for rheumatic fever and resulting rheumatic valvular heart disease, relevant to a direct service-connection narrative.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2014 · PMID 25182635
Finding: Using penicillin pharmacokinetic data from 329 male military recruits, modeling showed that with standard benzathine penicillin G dosing only 23.2% of simulated patients maintained protective serum penicillin levels four weeks after the last dose, supporting more frequent dosing to prevent recurrent rheumatic heart disease.
Why it helps: Documents the recognized military-recruit pathway of group A streptococcal infection and rheumatic heart disease prophylaxis, reinforcing that the service environment is a setting in which rheumatic valvular disease arises and is actively guarded against.
Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2020 · PMID 32462042
Finding: In a large multinational cohort (with VA medical center investigators), beta-hemolytic streptococcal infective endocarditis caused significantly higher in-hospital mortality than viridans-group endocarditis (P=.001); prosthetic-valve infection (odds ratio 3.029), congestive heart failure (OR 2.513), and stroke (OR 3.198) were associated with death.
Why it helps: Supports an association between streptococcal infective endocarditis and valve destruction with poor outcomes, illustrating an infection-mediated cause of acquired valvular heart disease that may be relevant where an in-service or service-related infection is documented.
Nature Reviews Cardiology, 2023 · nexus to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity · PMID 36829083
Finding: This review identifies calcific aortic valve disease as the most common valve disorder and reports that, beyond valve morphology, additional risk is conferred by elevated blood pressure, elevated lipoprotein(a), obesity, and diabetes mellitus, which drive fibrocalcific remodeling of the valve leaflets.
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-connected metabolic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity and the development of calcific aortic valve disease, useful for a secondary-nexus theory.
Circulation Research, 2014 · nexus to atrial fibrillation · PMID 24763464
Finding: This review reports that atrial fibrillation has an estimated lifetime risk of 22%-26% and lists valve disease among the established risk factors (alongside aging, hypertension, and heart failure), with obstructive sleep apnea identified as an emerging risk factor.
Why it helps: Supports an association in which established valvular heart disease acts as a recognized risk factor for atrial fibrillation, helping frame atrial fibrillation as a condition that can arise secondary to a service-connected valve disorder.
- Aortic Stenosis and Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Cohort Study.Secondary
Journal of the American Heart Association, 2023 · nexus to atrial fibrillation · PMID 37119067
Finding: In a nationwide cohort of 183,946 patients with incident atrial fibrillation, the 5,231 (2.8%) who also had aortic stenosis showed higher adjusted hazards of death (HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.26-1.38), any bleeding (HR 1.36), and gastrointestinal bleeding (HR 1.63) than those without aortic stenosis.
Why it helps: Supports an association between aortic valve disease and worse outcomes in patients who also have atrial fibrillation, useful for showing the clinical interrelationship between a service-connected valve condition and atrial fibrillation.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Heart Valve Conditions
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Heart Valve Conditions. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
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Where you live
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Home buying
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Draft your Heart Valve Conditions personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Heart Valve Conditions VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Heart Valve Conditions evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Heart Valve Conditions.
Heart Valve Conditions Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.