Disability Medical Tests for Cardiovascular Impairments
The Social Security Administration requires a lot of medical records in claims for Social Security disability benefits for heart disease and cardiovascular impairments. A conclusion by your heart doctor that you are “disabled” because of your cardiovascular impairment is not enough to qualify for disability benefits for heart disease. Neither is a statement from your doctor that you are unable to work. If you don’t have medical records to support your claim for disability benefits based on heart disease, you are unlikely to win Social Security disability benefits. Though the SSA will consider a well-supported opinion by a treating doctor, they will also expect to see medical test results.
One of the most important things you can do to help your heart disease disability case is keep good records of the medical treatment you have received for your cardiovascular disorder. Write down the date and the details of every doctor visit, cardiovascular medical test, and medication taken. This will help show the Social Security Administration that you are following your doctor’s prescribed treatment and are trying to get better. It may also be helpful to keep a diary of the medical symptoms relating to your heart disease or cardiovascular impairment.
This section of our website contains information on 15 of the most common cardiovascular tests that you may find in your medical record if you are applying for disability based on cardiovascular medical issues. These articles will tell you the purpose of each test, whether the SSA can order it, how it is administered, and how the results are interpreted.
- Basic Metabolic Profile (BMP)
- Bicycle Ergometry / Supine Ergometry
- Blood Lipids
- Blood Pressure Measurement (Arm Cuff Method)
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Enzymes
- Coronary Flow Reserve (by Doppler)
- Dipyridamole Stress Radionuclide Imaging
- Echocardiography
- Electro-cardiography, Resting (EKG, ECG)
- Head-Up Tilt-Table Testing (HUTTT)
- Holter Monitoring
- Magnetic Resonance Cardiac Scan
- Peripheral Vascular Arterial Dopplers
- Treadmill Stress Testing (TST, TMST)
