Heart condition turning into a disability: Understanding when heart failure qualifies as a disability

Determining When Heart Failure Qualifies as a Disability

Heart failure is a serious medical condition where the heart struggles to pump enough blood and oxygen throughout the body. This condition can lead to a wide range of symptoms, such as swelling, water retention, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, a cough, trouble sleeping, a bluish tint to lips or fingers, nausea, abdominal pain, frequent urination, unintentional weight gain or loss [1].

The individual outlook for heart failure depends on various factors, including a person's overall health, the presence of other risk factors, access to treatment, the severity of the heart failure, and their willingness to make lifestyle changes [2].

In some cases, heart failure can be debilitating, preventing individuals from working consistently. If you are suffering from chronic heart failure and find it difficult to work, you might be eligible for disability benefits.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has specific criteria for disability benefits related to heart failure. To qualify, you generally must demonstrate that your heart failure causes severe limitations that prevent you from working and meets specific clinical thresholds [4].

Key criteria for chronic heart failure under SSA guidelines include a documented diagnosis confirmed by objective medical tests, evidence of marked limitation in physical activities due to fatigue, shortness of breath, or inability to carry out activities requiring sustained exertion, typically an ejection fraction below a certain percentage (often around 30%), and symptoms that persist despite prescribed treatment [4].

Other heart-related conditions related to heart failure, such as recurrent arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, a history of heart transplant, or cardiomyopathy, have specific listings and criteria in the SSA Blue Book [4].

If you do not meet these exact criteria, you might still qualify for disability benefits through a medical-vocational allowance. This involves SSA assessing your residual functional capacity to evaluate what work-related activities you can or cannot perform considering your heart failure symptoms [4].

It's important to note that the long-term outlook for heart failure is poor, but death rates have decreased over time [5]. Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can greatly reduce the risk of heart failure, even in people with underlying medical conditions or a family history of heart disease [6].

Some lifestyle changes that can help reduce the risk of heart failure include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, adopting a heart-healthy diet, reducing sodium intake, becoming more physically active, and managing medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes [6].

If you are diagnosed with heart failure and require disability accommodations or payments, it's recommended to consult with a lawyer who specializes in disability law and work closely with a cardiologist to diagnose and treat your condition [7].

In most contexts in the United States, it is illegal to discriminate against people with heart failure [8].

References: [1] Mayo Clinic. (2021, March 11). Heart failure symptoms. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20371720 [2] American Heart Association. (2021, February 10). Heart failure: What is it? Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/about-heart-failure [3] Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Disability Planner: Heart failure. Retrieved from https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/14.00-Cardiovascular-Adult.htm [4] Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Cardiovascular impairments: Adult. Retrieved from https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/14.00-Cardiovascular-Adult.htm#14_02_00_g [5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 17). Heart failure facts. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/heart_failure.htm [6] American Heart Association. (2021, March 11). Heart-healthy lifestyle. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/prevention-and-treatment/heart-healthy-lifestyle [7] American Heart Association. (2021, February 10). Heart failure: Living with heart failure. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/living-with-heart-failure [8] Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Disability discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm