Peripheral Artery 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 Peripheral Artery Disease
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960A-2 (Artery and Vein Conditions (Vascular Diseases Including Varicose Veins)) — 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 Peripheral Artery Disease — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Peripheral Artery 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 Peripheral Artery Disease
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.104, DC 7114 (peripheral arterial disease). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
At least one of: ankle/brachial index (ABI) 0.67 to 0.79; ankle pressure 84 to 99 mm Hg; toe pressure 50 to 59 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension 50 to 59 mm Hg.
At least one of: ABI 0.54 to 0.66; ankle pressure 66 to 83 mm Hg; toe pressure 40 to 49 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension 40 to 49 mm Hg.
At least one of: ABI 0.40 to 0.53; ankle pressure 50 to 65 mm Hg; toe pressure 30 to 39 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension 30 to 39 mm Hg.
At least one of: ABI 0.39 or less; ankle pressure less than 50 mm Hg; toe pressure less than 30 mm Hg; or transcutaneous oxygen tension less than 30 mm Hg.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Peripheral Artery 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
20%
New monthly
$357
Change
+$357
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 Peripheral Artery 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.
BMJ Open, 2021 · PMID 34244251
Finding: In a cohort of 78,000 military veterans versus 253,000 matched non-veterans followed up to 37 years, a first cardiovascular event (including peripheral arterial disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke) occurred in 5.7% of veterans versus 4.8% of non-veterans (adjusted HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.12-1.20). The excess risk was concentrated in men and in veterans born before 1960.
Why it helps: Supports an association between military service and elevated risk of peripheral arterial disease and other cardiovascular outcomes in a large veteran cohort, useful for framing service-related cardiovascular burden.
Biological Psychiatry, 2024 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 38142719
Finding: Among 179 older male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, twins with a history of PTSD showed significantly greater peripheral and systemic vasoconstriction during personalized trauma recall than their non-PTSD brothers, even after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, antidepressant use, heart rate, and blood pressure. The authors conclude PTSD-related vasoconstriction may contribute to elevated cardiovascular disease risk.
Why it helps: Supports a physiological link between service-connected PTSD and abnormal peripheral arterial/vascular responses in a veteran population, helpful for a secondary-to-PTSD theory of vascular disease.
- Cognitive Impairment is Common in a Veterans Affairs Population with Peripheral Arterial DiseaseSecondary
Annals of Vascular Surgery, 2023 · nexus to PTSD, diabetes · PMID 36581154
Finding: Among 125 veterans screened at a VA vascular clinic for PAD, 61% had cognitive impairment (92% previously unrecognized); on multivariable analysis, independent risk factors for newly diagnosed cognitive impairment included PTSD, insulin-treated diabetes, age 70+, and Black race.
Why it helps: Supports associations between PAD and common service-connected conditions (PTSD, diabetes) in a real VA PAD population, and documents cognitive impairment as a frequently overlooked complication relevant to secondary claims.
The Lancet Global Health, 2019 · nexus to diabetes, hypertension · PMID 31303293
Finding: This systematic review and meta-analysis of 118 studies estimated 236.62 million people aged 25+ living with PAD in 2015 and identified smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia as major risk factors, pooling odds ratios across 30 risk factors. Prevalence rose steeply with age (about 3-4% at 40-44 years to over 20% at 80-84 years in high-income countries).
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-connected conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and the development of peripheral artery disease, anchoring a secondary nexus to these common risk factors.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2023 · nexus to depression · PMID 36179780
Finding: In a meta-analysis of 5 observational studies with 119,123 PAD patients (16.2% with depression), depression was associated with a 24% increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.07-1.25), with a non-significant positive trend for major adverse limb events.
Why it helps: Supports an association between depression, a common service-connected mental health condition, and worse outcomes in peripheral artery disease, useful for secondary claims linking mental health to PAD severity.
JAMA, 2023 · nexus to chronic kidney disease · PMID 37787795
Finding: In an individual-participant meta-analysis of over 27 million people across 114 cohorts, lower eGFR and higher albuminuria were each significantly associated with higher risk of 10 adverse outcomes including peripheral artery disease, with risk elevated even in the mildest categories of chronic kidney disease.
Why it helps: Supports an association between chronic kidney disease (itself often secondary to service-connected diabetes or hypertension) and peripheral artery disease, useful for a multi-step secondary nexus.
Medicina Clinica (Barcelona), 2023 · nexus to diabetes, hypertension · PMID 37517924
Finding: This clinical review describes PAD as an atherosclerotic condition affecting over 200 million people worldwide, identifying smoking, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, overweight/obesity, age, male sex, and Black race as the major risk factors, and notes asymptomatic PAD is the most common and underdiagnosed form.
Why it helps: Provides authoritative background that diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are established causes of peripheral artery disease, supporting secondary-service-connection reasoning for these conditions.
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 Peripheral Artery Disease
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Peripheral Artery Disease. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Peripheral Artery Disease as a Secondary Condition
Peripheral Artery Disease is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Peripheral Artery Diseaseclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Peripheral Artery Disease should also be looking at:
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Draft your Peripheral Artery Disease personal statement
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Peripheral Artery Disease.
Peripheral Artery 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.