Afib- Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AFib or AF) is a heart condition that is characterized by irregular heartbeats or an arrhythmia. Millions of Americans are estimated to be living with Afib.  Severe forms of Afib can cause blood clots, strokes, heart failure and other heart-related complications. If chronic atrial fibrillation significantly interferes with your ability to work, you may qualify for disability benefits administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), which has strict rules governing eligibility for benefits due to AFib.

AFib occurs when the heart’s two upper chambers, called the atria, beat rapidly and become out of sync with the lower heart chambers, known as ventricles. This erratic heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can be an occasional occurrence or an ongoing, chronic condition that negatively affects blood flow. It can result in heart palpitations, weakness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fainting, leading to heart failure or stroke. General treatment for AFib usually involves medication or possibly a pacemaker.

You may have AFib without any symptoms, or you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

-Dizziness

-Palpitations

-Fainting

-Chest pain

-Fatigue

-Difficulty with heavy manual labor

Since AFib is a type of heart arrhythmia, it may be evaluated pursuant to Section 4.05 of the Social Security Administration’s Blue Book Listing of Impairments. To qualify for benefits pursuant to this section of the Blue Book, your AFib must:

Be irreversible, uncontrolled, and recurrent. In other words, your condition is not controlled by medication, a pacemaker, or other medical interventions.

Cause episodes of fainting or near fainting despite treatment. A near-fainting episode, also known as a near syncope, is not just a feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness. Instead, it is a period of altered consciousness.

Be documented by resulting or ambulatory electrocardiography or another appropriate medically acceptable testing that occurs at the time of fainting or near fainting to establish the medical connection between AFib and fainting or near fainting episodes.

Some of the medical documentation that you will need may include:

-Chest x-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, or CT scan results

-Electrocardiogram results

-Holter monitoring results

-Echocardiogram results

-Electrophysiological testing and mapping results

-Blood test results

-Exercise tolerance test or stress test results

-Tilt table test results which show your blood pressure and heart rate respond to gravity

-Detailed information about how your fainting episodes are connected to your AFib

-A detailed list of every treatment you’ve treated and its effect on your body

-Reports about any AFib related operations or hospitalizations you have had

If you need help applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.

Location: Michigan, USA

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