Ischemic Heart Disease

Is caused by narrowed heart arteries. When arteries are narrowed, less blood and oxygen reaches the heart muscle. This is also called coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease. This can ultimately lead to heart attack. Ischemia often causes chest pain or discomfort known as angina pectoris. The two key factors for determination of disability is how much exertion produces symptoms and knowing at which level of exertion objective abnormalities appear. To qualify a claimant must have some history of chest pain associated with angina.

For this condition to be severe enough to meet the Social Security Administration's listing the claimant must have:

• Cardiac exercise stress test with abnormalities appearing at an exertion level equivalent to five METs or less; OR
• Decreased heart function, indicated by abnormal wall motions of the heart; OR
• Coronary artery disease, shown by cardiac catheterization, and a Social Security Administration medical consultant doctor's decision that an exercise stress test would be a significant risk to you.

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