Social Security Disability Benefits With Heart Disease

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Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, is the No. 1 killer in America, affecting more than 13 million Americans.  Heart disease is a result of plaque buildup in your coronary arteries — a condition called atherosclerosis — that leads to blockages.

The most common symptom of heart disease is angina.  Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs if an area of your heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood.  Angina may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The pain also can occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back.  Angina pain may even feel like indigestion.

Other symptoms that can occur with coronary artery disease include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Palpitations (irregular heart beats, skipped beats, or a “flip-flop” feeling in your chest)
  • A faster heartbeat
  • Weakness or dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Sweating

Common medical tests to prove your disability include stress tests, angiographies and an ECG test.  You must also show consistent treatment with your treating physicians. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Heart Disease

Link Between Lyme Disease and Heart Inflammation Found

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A federal study suggests that death from tick-borne bacteria is more common than previously thought.   Several deaths due to an undetected heart inflammation were found to be caused by Lyme disease.  These deaths prompted the study, which found previously undetected heart inflammation during pathology examinations.

Although there are thousands of cases of Lyme annually in the United States, only a fraction are found to include heart inflammation.  The heart inflammation appears to be treatable, which concerns public health officials as the condition is usually discovered when it is too late.  Often, the otherwise healthy people were unaware of the disease as there were no significant symptoms prior to death.  While officials at the CDC say they are concerned, research shows that deaths from Lyme are rare.

Filed Under: Heart Disease, Lyme Disease