Pulmonary Vascular Diseases

BLOCKED OR RESTRICTED VEINAL BLOOD FLOW

(Including Arteriosclerosis obliterans, Buerger’s disease & Raynaud’s Disease):

PERCENTAGE

DESCRIPTION

Arteriosclerosis obliterans, Buerger’s disease

100%

Ischemic limb pain while at rest with either deep ischemic ulcers or ankle/brachial index of 0.4 or less”

60%

Claudication (muscle pain due to lack of blood flow that happens when you’re active and stops when you rest) after walking less than 25 yards on level ground at less than two miles per hour and “persistent coldness of the extremity, one or more deep ischemic ulcers, or ankle/brachial index of 0.5 or less”

40%

Claudication after walking between 25 and 100 yards on level ground, and trophic charges or ankle/brachial index of 0.7 or less

20%

Claudication after walking more than 100 yards and “diminished peripheral impulses or ankle/brachial index of 0.9 or less”

Raynaud’s Disease

100%

With at least two digital ulcers or tears in the skin and auto-amputation of at least one digit and a history of characteristic attacks

60%

At least two digital ulcers and a history of characteristic attacks

40%

At least one characteristic attack daily

20%

Four to six characteristic attacks a week

10%

One to three characteristic attacks a week

NOTE: These evaluations are for involvement of a single extremity. If more than one extremity is involved, the VBA will evaluate each extremity separately and combine (under §4.25), using the bilateral factor (§4.26), if applicable.

NOTE: “Characteristic attacks” include color changes to the affected areas, sometimes with pain and paralysis that could last minutes or hours. Regardless of how many areas are affected, only one rating is given for this condition as a whole.

NOTE: Include a flare up journal documenting flare-ups with your claim. Note date, time, duration or other symptoms as well as interference with work, socially including family and quality of life. Add color photos of flare ups.