High blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension, can have a profound impact on a person’s overall health and quality of life. The condition, which is often a secondary symptom of an underlying disease, can affect a person’s ability to concentrate, sleep, work or deal with stress. Despite that, however, having high blood pressure is typically not enough to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits in Missouri. That said, it is not impossible to qualify for benefits for hypertension, either.
According to Disability Benefits Help, the symptoms of high blood pressure and the degree to which they impact a person’s life vary considerably. Some common symptoms of extreme hypertension include shortness of breath, confusion, headaches, nausea and vision problems. Depending on the severity of the condition and its cause, a person may be able to treat hypertension with lifestyle changes, or he or she may require medication.
If the symptoms of high blood pressure make it impossible for one to work, the Social Security Administration may approve him or her for SSDI benefits. However, the individual will need to prove that the disease affects one or more bodily systems to the degree that continued work would result in further deterioration of his or her health. When evaluating a claim, the SSA will assess the health threat to four primary systems of the body: The heart, brain, eyes and kidneys.
Disability Benefits Help also provides individuals with tips for how to apply for SSDI for hypertension. The first is to document all medical problems and not just high blood pressure. The SSA takes into account a person’s full medical history along with current health issues when assessing eligibility.
Second, the medical records should include detailed accounts of all failed attempts to control the high blood pressure. The efforts should include all lifestyle changes and medications a person tried. A medical professional should corroborate those attempts via an official record.
Finally, a claimant must prove that the medical condition meets the SSA’s standard eligibility requirements. That is, the person must have lived with the condition for one year, or a medical professional anticipates it will prevent him or her from working for one year.
