Upcoming exam

[andyb]

I have an exam coming up for ischemic heart disease for a claim. Just wondering if anyone can tell me what they do. Is it like a stress test or what? Because last stress test I did I dang near collapsed on the treadmill.

[Zulu 36]

I have an exam coming up for ischemic heart disease for a claim. Just wondering if anyone can tell me what they do. Is it like a stress test or what? Because last stress test I did I dang near collapsed on the treadmill.


There are a couple of different tests they can give you for IHD, a stress test being one of them. My guess is they'll do a coronary angiogram and/or a stress ECG on you.

The coronary angiogram is done by shooting some radio-opaque dye into your bloodstream and monitoring where it goes, and doesn't go, in your heart. This is also called coronary catheterization.

[Uncle Mike]

is this related to Agent Orange? if you have AO exposure, then ischemic heart disease is presumed to be secondary to AO. The VA is using a new form called a DBQ(Disability Benefit Questionnaire) to streamline the process. Apparently it has the elements that are required to rate the claim. Anyway, the form recommends an ekg, chest xray, or heart ultrasound (echo) to be done so that they have sufficient information to rate your claim.
i tried to look around for the DBQ form with google but could not find it but there is info about AO and ischemic heart disease if you search "agent orange ischemic heart disease"
here is another site:
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/ischemicheartdisease.asp
and i looked at some links on it and it shows the DBQ and explains what the doc completes:
https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/help4.do#DBQ


hope that helps...

[andyb]

Actually yes it is related to AO. I went to the exam and it was more like a question and answer thing with no physical exam. I also went to cardio and they did a cardiac catheterization test on me. They found an artery still blocked but the amazing thing is I grew my own bypass. I guess hearts can do that. So for me it's just meds for who knows how long. I've also filed docs through DAV for the ischemic heart disease aka CAD which I'm told I have. So now I'm just waiting to hear if I'll bet getting any disability rating out of this. I'm already 50% so we'll see.

[Riven37]

You will see a doctor just like another type of comp exam. He (doctor) will have all your records, ask you as many questions as he feels fit to ask you. My exam taken about 20-30 minutes. You do not need to prove anything it is all on presumption. The doctor I seen ask question on the Agent Orange issue because the systemic heart is related to AO. The Doc ask how many time did they spray the AO on or near my base and area of operations. Ho many time did I see men from my unit or units do hand held AO spraying, and why do I think I was exposed to AO which I told him up front. Leave no question untold tell it all. If you taken showers from 50 gallon drums with an Orange ban on the tell them I did. The Doc I saw told me right then and there I would have no problem getting my claim. He also was in Nam he flew choppers.

( However, there is a Nam Vet in congress who is fighting this claim stating every American gets this issue with their hearts and he feels Nam Vets don’t need to have this claim.)

I had my exam late 09 and I haven’t hear much except it is in process. My goal is this I will receive no more money (term of disability increase) for this new claim but I will have it in my records.


I have an exam coming up for ischemic heart disease for a claim. Just wondering if anyone can tell me what they do. Is it like a stress test or what? Because last stress test I did I dang near collapsed on the treadmill.