Ischemic Heart Disease — 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 Ischemic Heart Disease
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 Ischemic Heart Disease — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Ischemic Heart Disease, 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 Ischemic Heart Disease
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.104, DC 7005 (arteriosclerotic / coronary artery 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 (breathlessness, fatigue, angina, dizziness, arrhythmia, palpitations, or syncope); 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 (MUGA scan or MRI).
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 Ischemic Heart Disease 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 Ischemic Heart Disease 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.
Industrial Health, 2003 · PMID 12916744
Finding: In a cross-sectional study of 1,224 Korean Vietnam veterans versus 154 non-Vietnam veterans, higher levels of Agent Orange exposure among Vietnam veterans were associated with an increased frequency of ischemic heart disease (p < 0.01), along with valvular heart disease and retinopathy, after adjusting for age.
Why it helps: Directly supports an association between Agent Orange exposure during Vietnam-era service and ischemic heart disease in veterans, consistent with VA presumptive recognition.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2012 · PMID 21810927
Finding: Using modeled plasma TCDD (the dioxin contaminant in Agent Orange) in an occupational cohort, higher TCDD exposure was associated with ischemic heart disease mortality (HR 1.19; 95% CI 1.08-1.32) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (HR 1.36), though the authors noted residual confounding could not be fully excluded for IHD.
Why it helps: Supports a dose-related association between dioxin/TCDD exposure (the toxic component of Agent Orange) and fatal ischemic heart disease, reinforcing the exposure-to-IHD link relevant to herbicide exposure claims.
- Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Incident Ischemic Heart Disease in Women VeteransSecondary
JAMA Cardiology, 2021 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 33729463
Finding: In a national VHA cohort of 398,769 women veterans (132,923 with PTSD), PTSD was associated with significantly greater risk of incident ischemic heart disease (HR 1.44; 95% CI 1.38-1.50), with the largest effect in those under 40 years (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.55-1.93).
Why it helps: Strong veteran-specific evidence supporting an association between service-connected PTSD and later development of ischemic heart disease, useful for a secondary-service-connection theory.
European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, 2006 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 16575268
Finding: A critical review of 31 studies found PTSD associated with increased rates of physician-rated and self-reported cardiovascular disease, including a prospective link to cardiovascular mortality in combat veterans, and evidence that PTSD confers a pro-inflammatory, pro-atherogenic state (elevated cytokines and C-reactive protein).
Why it helps: Supports a biological mechanism (chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis) linking PTSD to ischemic heart disease, helping explain a secondary nexus between PTSD and IHD.
The Lancet, 2010 · nexus to type 2 diabetes mellitus · PMID 20609967
Finding: Pooling 698,782 people across 102 prospective studies (8.49 million person-years), diabetes was associated with roughly a two-fold excess risk of coronary heart disease (HR 2.00; 95% CI 1.83-2.19), independent of conventional risk factors.
Why it helps: Supports an association between diabetes (itself an Agent Orange presumptive condition) and ischemic heart disease, underpinning a secondary-to-diabetes nexus argument.
Circulation, 2021 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 34148375
Finding: This AHA scientific statement reports that obstructive sleep apnea produces intermittent hypoxemia, autonomic surges, and sleep fragmentation, and that OSA prevalence is as high as 40% to 80% in patients with coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.
Why it helps: An authoritative consensus source supporting an association between obstructive sleep apnea and coronary/ischemic heart disease, useful for a secondary-to-sleep-apnea theory.
Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 2020 · nexus to erectile dysfunction · PMID 32840461
Finding: Among 60 men with peripheral arterial disease, 77.2% reported erectile dysfunction (52.5% severe), and the study reaffirms that ED is a known associate of ischemic heart disease driven by shared atherosclerotic vascular pathology.
Why it helps: Supports an association between ischemic/atherosclerotic heart and vascular disease and erectile dysfunction, relevant when ED is claimed as secondary to service-connected ischemic heart disease.
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 Ischemic Heart Disease
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Ischemic Heart Disease. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Ischemic Heart Disease as a Secondary Condition
Ischemic Heart Disease is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Ischemic Heart Diseaseclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Ischemic Heart Disease should also be looking at:
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Draft your Ischemic Heart Disease 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 Ischemic Heart Disease VA Claim
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Ischemic Heart Disease.
Ischemic Heart Disease 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.