Understanding how to provide disability for heart conditions is imperative before submitting your claim to the Social Security Administration (SSA). They can expect meticulous completion of forms and seek specific qualifiers to approve disability. Improper completion or filing of these forms can cause denial, even on otherwise valid claims. Contact a Akron Social Security attorney to ensure a smoother process and maximum benefits.
Qualifying for SSI and SSDI

The SSA has two programs for qualifying for disability: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Each program has individual criteria for qualifying for disability for heart conditions. Your disability lawyer will ensure that you file for the proper benefits.
Heart Conditions that Qualify as Cardiovascular Impairment
The SSA has a Blue Book, a medical guide listing impairments that may qualify you for disability benefits. It lists cardiovascular impairments under section 4.00, Cardiovascular System—Adult. Impairments that qualify as disability for heart conditions are as follows:
- Chronic heart failure
- Heart transplant
- Recurrent arrhythmias
- Ischemic heart disease
- Symptomatic congenital heart disease
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Aneurysm of the aorta or major branches
The SSA’s Blue Book clarifies that a cardiovascular impairment is any disorder affecting the proper function of the heart or circulatory system, including the arteries, capillaries, veins, and lymphatic drainage system. The disorder may be congenital (present at birth) or acquired by external factors.
How to Prove Disability for Heart Conditions to Meet an SSA Listing
Disability examiners and Social Security lawyers analyze healthcare records to determine eligibility for disability for heart conditions, which qualify as cardiovascular impairments. Ways to prove your heart condition meets an SSA listing are with the following comprehensive medical evidence:
- A clear medical diagnosis for a qualifying heart condition
- Cardiac imaging (echocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations)
- Electrocardiogram records (EKGs)
- Heart exercise stress test results
- Laboratory studies (blood tests checking heart damage or dysfunction markers)
- Hospitalization records
- Detailed surgical records of surgeries
- Detailed medical records of physical examinations and prescribed treatment
- Physical limitations or restrictions
The SSA requires a longitudinal clinical record to assess the severity of your injuries and the expected duration of your heart condition. The record must cover three or more months of assessments, observations, and treatment.
Descriptions of ongoing management and evaluations are crucial to prove disability for heart conditions. Your longitudinal clinical record must also include the nature and severity of your heart condition and your response to prescribed medical management.
What if Your Heart Condition Doesn’t Meet an SSA Listing for Cardiovascular Impairments?
If your injuries don’t meet or equal an SSA benefit, you may still qualify for benefits by assessing your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC). Your residual functional capacity means the most you can still do despite your limitations. Your disability lawyer will consider all physical and mental limitations and other abilities affected by impairment in your RFC.
How an Attorney Will Help With Your Disability Claim

A disability lawyer will help prove disability for heart conditions by first offering contingent fee arrangements to their clients. Most Social Security lawyers work for contingency, meaning there are no upfront fees or ongoing out-of-pocket expenses to retain their services. Instead, they collect a disclosed percentage directly deducted from your SSA-awarded back pay benefits only if they win.
These arrangements allow anyone to afford legal counsel and provide peace of mind during overwhelming and often difficult times. A disability attorney will also review medical records, determine SSA listing qualifications, complete cardiac RFC questionnaires, and gather medical evidence qualifying your claim.
Reviewing Medical Records
Social Security lawyers frequently consult experts qualified to review your medical records and answer questions about complex medical issues. They will search for evidence of heart conditions that support your disability claim. Medical experts offer unbiased opinions about how your condition affects your ability to work. These healthcare professionals can also provide expert testimony on your behalf.
Gathering Medical Evidence
Gathering medical evidence to support your case is crucial for proving disability and the need to approve your claim. Evidence your attorney may collect includes:
- Medical records, including tests and diagnostics, like electrocardiograms (ECG), echocardiograms, and exercise tolerance tests (ETTs)
- Notes about treatment, including records of evaluation, follow-up visits, and medications you’re taking
- A favorable opinion letter from your physician
- Witness statements from employers and coworkers about how your heart condition affects your ability to work
The strength of the evidence is what builds a solid case. Your attorney will exhaustively evaluate every facet of evidence to find ways to prove disability for heart conditions for the SSA claim process. If you have evidence, including medical records, imaging, and witness statements, bring them to your free case evaluation. It paints a clearer picture for your attorney.
Completing a Cardiac RFC Questionnaire
Your attorney may also request that your cardiologist work with them in completing a cardiac residual functional capacity (RFC) questionnaire that will favorably support your disability claim for a heart condition. The cardiac RFC questionnaire provides the SSA with details regarding your diagnosis, medical treatments, and limitations due to disability.
Determining SSA Listing Qualifications
Your Social Security lawyer will determine your SSA Blue Book listing qualifications for disability. Sometimes, this may require combining listings. If your combined conditions are considered medically equivalent to a listed impairment, you may still qualify for disability for heart conditions.
This benefit is called—equally a listing—and means the combination of listings results in a similar level of functional limitation. To successfully combine listings and claim disability, you must have strong medical evidence from your physician documenting how your combined conditions significantly impact your ability to work.
Disability Claims Appeal
Disability claimants who had a claim denied may have a right to appeal. Schedule a free consultation with a disability attorney to explore that option. Bring your denial letter. Your lawyer needs to understand why you were denied so they can strategize a way for approval.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Disability Lawyer
Having an experienced Social Security lawyer on your side can make applying for disability benefits considerably easier. It can also improve your chances of getting your initial benefits application approved. Schedule a free case evaluation with a reputable attorney to discuss the merits of your disability for heart conditions claim.