High Blood Prsessure

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is sometimes characterized as blood pressure in excess of a systolic (the upper number) reading of 160 and a diastolic (the lower number) reading of 95. However, since normal blood pressure is typically thought of as 120/80, blood pressure readings in excess of this standard may be characterized as hypertension.

In today's modern society where health problems are increasingly lifestyle and diet driven, high blood pressure is more commonly diagnosed than at any other time in history.

Yet, despite its commonplace occurrence, hypertension is a significant, life-affecting, and even life-threatening condition. Unchecked and uncontrolled, high blood pressure can dramatically increase the risk and incidence of stroke, cardiovascular heart disease, and renal (kidney) disease.

Can you get disability benefits for this condition? The simplest answer is that any claimant who applies for social security disability (or ssi based on a disabling condition) can win their claim and be approved for benefits.

Whether a claimant wins a case or not will depend on the level of functional restriction that is imposed by their condition or conditions.

Here is an explanation of Social Security's five-step process to determine if heart disease qualifies for Social Security Disability Insurance:

STEP ONE simply determines if an individual is "working (engaging in substantial gainful activity)" according to the SSA definition. Earning more than $860 a month as an employee is enough to be disqualified from receiving Social Security disability benefits.

STEP TWO implies that the heart disability must be severe enough to significantly limit one’s ability to perform basic work activities needed to do most jobs. For example:

STEP THREE asks if the heart disability meets or equals a medical listing. Heart disease is listed under the cardiovascular system. To satisfy the listing criteria is dependent on the type of heart disease one has, e.g. chronic heart failure, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, etc. Various studies such as angiography, echocardiography, and electrocardiography are used to assess the severity of the heart disease. For example, an individual with ischemic heart disease who has a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% or less; is precluded from performing an exercise stress test; and has a marked limitation of physical activity would be found to have a listing level impairment.

STEP FOUR explores the ability of an individual to perform work he has done in the past despite his heart disability. If SSA finds that a person can do his past work, benefits are denied. If the person cannot, then the process proceeds to the fifth and final step.

STEP FIVE looks at age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition to determine what other work, if any, the person can perform. To determine disability, SSA enlists vocational rules, which vary according to age.

For example, if a person is:

Under age 50 and, as a result of the symptoms of heart disease, unable to perform what SSA calls sedentary work, then SSA will reach a determination of disabled. Sedentary work requires the ability to lift a maximum of 10 pounds at a time, sit six hours and occasionally walk and stand two hours per eight-hour day.

Age 50 or older and, due to his heart disability, limited to performing sedentary work but has no work-related skills that allow him to do so, SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

Over age 60 and, due to his heart disability, unable to perform any of the jobs he performed in the last 15 years, SSA will likely reach a determination of disabled.

Any age and, because of heart disease, has a psychological impairment that prevents even simple, unskilled work, SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

APPLYING FOR DISABILITY WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA DISORDER

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