Conditions That Qualify for Disability

An aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulging or widening of the aorta — the body's main artery — or one of its major branches. It can be caused by a range of conditions, including atherosclerosis, Marfan syndrome, or trauma. SSA evaluates aortic aneurysm claims under Blue Book Listing 4.10, which focuses on whether imaging confirms the aneurysm and whether dissection (a tear in the artery wall) is not controlled despite following prescribed treatment.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that weakens the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. SSA does not have a dedicated listing for cardiomyopathy, but evaluates it under heart failure guidelines by looking at how the condition affects your stamina, daily function, and ability to work.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a condition where the veins in your legs struggle to send blood back to your heart, causing swelling, skin changes, and ulcers. SSA evaluates CVI based on evidence of deep vein damage or blockage alongside specific complications in a lower extremity.

Congenital heart disease is a heart defect present from birth that can affect how your heart pumps blood. SSA evaluates it based on documented imaging or catheterization results and the symptoms and complications your records show.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked, reducing blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle. SSA evaluates CAD under Blue Book Listing 4.04 as ischemic heart disease. To qualify, your records must show symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to the heart (myocardial ischemia) while you are following a prescribed treatment plan. SSA looks at specific clinical findings and test results to determine whether your condition meets the listing requirements.

Heart failure is a condition where the heart can no longer pump blood effectively enough to meet the body's needs. SSA evaluates chronic heart failure under Blue Book Listing 4.02, which requires that you are on a regimen of prescribed treatment and still experience significant symptoms and signs of heart failure. To meet the listing, your medical records must satisfy the requirements of both Part A (medical documentation of the condition) and Part B (evidence of functional limitations), as described in SSA's cardiovascular guidelines.

A heart transplant is a major surgical procedure in which a diseased or failing heart is replaced with a healthy donor heart. SSA evaluates heart transplant recipients under Blue Book Listing 4.09, which automatically considers you disabled for one full year following the date of your transplant surgery. After that one-year period, SSA will reassess your condition by evaluating any remaining impairments under the appropriate Blue Book listing that best matches your ongoing health limitations.

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a circulatory condition in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most commonly the legs. This reduced blood flow can cause pain, cramping, or weakness during physical activity — a symptom known as intermittent claudication. SSA evaluates PAD under Blue Book Listing 4.12, looking for evidence of the disease confirmed by medically acceptable imaging and the presence of intermittent claudication, along with additional specific findings outlined in the listing criteria.

POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and dysautonomia are conditions affecting the autonomic nervous system, causing rapid heart rate, dizziness, fainting, and extreme fatigue. SSA has no dedicated listing for these conditions but evaluates them by examining how your symptoms affect your heart, nervous system, and ability to sustain work.

Recurrent arrhythmias are heart rhythm problems that cause your heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. For disability purposes, SSA evaluates whether your arrhythmia — not caused by a treatable or reversible issue like a medication problem or electrolyte imbalance — leads to repeated episodes of fainting or near-fainting that cannot be controlled even with prescribed treatment. SSA requires that these episodes be captured and confirmed through specific heart-monitoring tests at the same time the fainting or near-fainting actually occurs.