Can I Get Disability Benefits for Cardiomyopathy? (Page Two of Four)
Meeting Listing 4.02 for Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (also known as “chronic heart failure”) is the inability of the heart to pump enough oxygenated blood to the different parts of the body. Cardiomyopathy is just one cause of congestive heart failure; other causes include myocardial infarction (heart attack) and coronary artery disease. Listing 4.02 has two parts, A and B. You must meet both parts to qualify.
Listing 4.02A
Part A requires medically documented evidence of systolic heart failure or diastolic heart failure. To meet the listing for systolic heart failure, you must have left ventricular end diastolic dimensions greater than 6.0 cm. To meet the listing for diastolic heart failure, you must have a left ventricular posterior wall thickness greater than 2.5 cm and an enlarged left atrium greater than 4.5 cm.
Listing 4.02B
Part B requires you to have chronic heart failure resulting in:
- persistent symptoms which seriously limit your activities of daily living;
- three or more episodes of acute congestive heart failure within one year; or
- inability to perform on an exercise tolerance test at a workload of 5 METs (roughly equivalent to riding a bicycle for pleasure or walking briskly).
If your cardiomyopathy does not meet Listing 4.02 for congestive heart failure, you may still qualify for Social Security disability benefits by meeting Listing 4.04 for ischemic heart disease or Listing 4.05 for arrythmia.
