VA Disability Rating
VA Disability Rating for Hypertension
High blood pressure is rated on your diastolic and systolic readings and whether you require continuous medication.
Diagnostic code 7101 · §4.104 · Cardiovascular system · up to 60%
How the VA rates Hypertension
The VA assigns one of these ratings for Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension), based on the severity of your condition. These criteria are summarized from §4.104:
| Rating | When it applies |
|---|
| 60% | Diastolic pressure predominantly 130 or more |
| 40% | Diastolic pressure predominantly 120 or more |
| 20% | Diastolic pressure predominantly 110 or more, or; systolic pressure predominantly 200 or more |
| 10% | Diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more, or; systolic pressure predominantly 160 or more, or; minimum evaluation for an individual with a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more who requires continuous medication for control |
Conditions commonly connected to Hypertension
Hypertension is frequently claimed alongside, or as a secondary to, these conditions. If you have any of them, they may be separately ratable:
Cardiac conditionsKidney diseaseVision changesErectile dysfunctionHeadaches
How to strengthen a Hypertension claim
The rating you receive depends almost entirely on your evidence and your C&P exam. To put your best claim forward:
- Get a current diagnosis and make sure your symptoms are documented at their worst, not your best day.
- Prepare for your C&P exam — the examiner's report usually decides your rating.
- If service connection isn't obvious, a nexus letter can link the condition to your service.
- If this condition was caused by another rated condition, file it as a secondary claim.
Peer-Reviewed Research on Hypertension
12 peer-reviewed studies linked to Hypertension (diagnostic code 7101) in the VA Ready app, sourced from PubMed and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Every citation is real and links to the source — bring them to your C&P exam or hand them to your VSO.
StudyPrimary2026
Managing Resistant Hypertension in Rural Veterans: A Pharmacist-Led Telehealth Approach.Journal of Pharmacy Practice · 2026
- VA-system management model for resistant hypertension in rural veteran population.
Why it matters: VA-system management model for resistant hypertension in rural veteran population.
View on PubMed ↗StudyPrimary2025
Posttraumatic stress disorder and hypertension in older adult Vietnam Era male and female veterans.Journal of Traumatic Stress · 2025
- PTSD-hypertension association in Vietnam-era veterans, supports secondary service connection.
Why it matters: PTSD-hypertension association in Vietnam-era veterans, supports secondary service connection.
View on PubMed ↗ReviewPrimary2025
Epidemiological Link Between Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications.Cureus · 2025
- Review of PTSD-CVD mechanisms including hypertension; mechanistic basis for secondary claims.
Why it matters: Review of PTSD-CVD mechanisms including hypertension; mechanistic basis for secondary claims.
View on PubMed ↗StudyPrimary2025
Trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, and incident chronic disease.Annals of Behavioral Medicine · 2025
- PTSD predicts incident hypertension and chronic disease in longitudinal data.
Why it matters: PTSD predicts incident hypertension and chronic disease in longitudinal data.
View on PubMed ↗StudyPrimary2024
Hypertension at the nexus of veteran status, psychiatric disorders, and traumatic brain injury: Insights from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.PLoS One · 2024
- BRFSS analysis linking veteran status, psychiatric disorders, TBI to hypertension.
Why it matters: BRFSS analysis linking veteran status, psychiatric disorders, TBI to hypertension.
View on PubMed ↗StudyPrimary2017
Baroreflex dysfunction and augmented sympathetic nerve responses during mental stress in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.Journal of Physiology · 2017
- Mechanistic study showing autonomic dysfunction driving blood-pressure elevation in PTSD veterans.
Why it matters: Mechanistic study showing autonomic dysfunction driving blood-pressure elevation in PTSD veterans.
View on PubMed ↗StudyPrimary2013
Agent Orange exposure and prevalence of self-reported diseases in Korean Vietnam veterans.Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health · 2013
- Large Korean Vietnam-veteran cohort shows elevated hypertension prevalence with Agent Orange exposure.
Why it matters: Large Korean Vietnam-veteran cohort shows elevated hypertension prevalence with Agent Orange exposure.
View on PubMed ↗Cohort studyPrimary2003
Impact of Agent Orange exposure among Korean Vietnam veterans.Industrial Health · 2003
- Documents hypertension and chronic disease burden in Agent Orange-exposed Korean Vietnam veterans.
Why it matters: Documents hypertension and chronic disease burden in Agent Orange-exposed Korean Vietnam veterans.
View on PubMed ↗Meta-analysisSupporting2019
The Relationship between Military Combat and Cardiovascular Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International Journal of Vascular Medicine · 2019
- Systematic review and meta-analysis: combat raises cardiovascular and CAD risk in veterans.
Why it matters: Systematic review and meta-analysis: combat raises cardiovascular and CAD risk in veterans.
View on PubMed ↗Case-controlSupporting2014
Posttraumatic stress disorder, combat exposure, and carotid intima-media thickness in male twins.American Journal of Epidemiology · 2014
- Vietnam-era twin study: PTSD plus combat exposure raises carotid IMT, a CAD surrogate.
Why it matters: Vietnam-era twin study: PTSD plus combat exposure raises carotid IMT, a CAD surrogate.
View on PubMed ↗StudySupporting2010
Military combat and risk of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke in aging men: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.Annals of Epidemiology · 2010
- ARIC cohort: combat exposure independently raises coronary heart disease risk.
Why it matters: ARIC cohort: combat exposure independently raises coronary heart disease risk.
View on PubMed ↗StudySupporting2010
Military combat and burden of subclinical atherosclerosis in middle aged men: the ARIC study.Preventive Medicine · 2010
- Combat exposure correlated with subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid IMT) in ARIC.
Why it matters: Combat exposure correlated with subclinical atherosclerosis (carotid IMT) in ARIC.
View on PubMed ↗
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Common questions
What is the VA rating for Hypertension?
The VA rates Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension) under diagnostic code 7101 (§4.104). Ratings run up to 60%, assigned from the criteria in the table above based on the severity of your condition.
What diagnostic code does the VA use for Hypertension?
Diagnostic code 7101, rated under §4.104 of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.
Can Hypertension be claimed as a secondary condition?
Yes. Hypertension is commonly connected to conditions like Cardiac conditions, Kidney disease, Vision changes. A secondary claim needs a medical nexus linking it to your service-connected condition.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Rating criteria are summarized from 38 CFR Part 4; the VA determines actual ratings based on your evidence and exam. VA Ready is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Always verify current criteria at VA.gov and consult a VA-accredited representative.