Getting Disability Benefits for High Blood Pressure

Hypertension (the medical term for high blood pressure) occurs when the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries—vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body—is consistently elevated. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Your blood pressure reading will be in the form of two numbers, one over the other. The top number is your systolic blood pressure, which represents the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure, which represents the pressure in your arteries in between heartbeats.

Doctors consider ideal blood pressure readings to be no greater than 120/80 mm Hg. Test results above that level may be diagnosed as varying degrees of hypertension, depending on how high the numbers are—for example, levels that exceed 140/90 are considered stage 2 hypertension. If your blood pressure remains high over a long period of time, it can result in damage to your organs and lead to a greater risk of certain diseases, such as congestive heart failure, brain damage, and kidney disorders. When such complications interfere with your ability to work full-time, you may be eligible for disability benefits.

Can High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Be Considered a Disability?

Depending on your financial situation and medical history, you may be eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Social Security Administration awards benefits to people who are unable to earn at or above the level of substantial gainful activity for at least one year due to a severe medical condition.

If your medical records show that you have specific complications from your hypertension, you may get disability benefits by meeting a "listed impairment". Otherwise, you can still qualify for disability if you have functional limitations that greatly reduce or eliminate the types of jobs you can perform.

When you file for benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will request medical records from your doctors based on the contact information you provided on the application. Disability claims examiners will review your charts to see if your high blood pressure is currently under control and whether you have any significant organ damage or other complications as a result. Based on your progress notes and lab test results, the examiners will determine whether you're disabled using the SSA's five-step sequential evaluation process.

Meeting a Disability Listing for Complications Caused by High Blood Pressure

When reviewing your claim, the SSA will first determine whether your medical records are sufficient to meet the requirements of an impairment listed in the Blue Book. The Blue Book, or "listing of impairments," contains around 100 disorders that the SSA considers severe enough to qualify as automatically disabling, provided certain criteria are met.

High blood pressure isn't a listed impairment by itself, so you won't be able to get disability benefits automatically simply by having a blood pressure reading over 140/90, for example. Instead, the SSA will look to see whether you have complications from long-term high blood pressure that damage other parts of your body. If this damage is severe enough to meet the requirements of a listing, you'll be awarded disability benefits.

For example, some people with hypertension have arterial damage that affects the lungs, which can reduce the amount of oxygen received by the heart and eventually lead to heart failure. They may qualify for disability benefits under listing 3.09 for chronic pulmonary hypertension. You can meet the requirements of this listing if you have mean pulmonary artery pressure equal to or greater than 40 mm Hg as determined by cardiac catheterization while medically stable (meaning not in a state of acute respiratory distress or during a heart attack).

People who've had a debilitating stroke as a result of chronic hypertension may meet the requirements of listing 11.04, Vascular insult to the brain. If you have significant vision loss caused by high blood pressure, you may meet the criteria for listing 2.03, Contraction of the visual field in the better eye or listing 2.04, Loss of visual efficiency or visual impairment in the better eye.

Getting Disability With a Limited Residual Functional Capacity

Even if you don't meet the requirements of a listed impairment—because of the strict criteria, few people do—you can still be found disabled if you have a residual functional capacity (RFC) that rules out all jobs. Your RFC is an assessment of the most that you can do, physically and mentally, in a work environment.

Social Security determines your RFC by reviewing your medical evidence, doctors' opinions, and daily activities. The agency considers your ability to perform such tasks as sitting, standing, walking, interacting with the public and coworkers, using your hands and arms, and following work instructions when deciding what limitations to include in your RFC.

Most RFCs contain exertional (strength-related) limitations on the types of jobs the claimant can do. For example, somebody who is physically able to lift 20 pounds and be on their feet for 6 hours out of an 8 hour workday will have an RFC that restricts them to "light" work, which includes many retail and service industry jobs. But somebody who can't even lift 10 pounds or sit at a desk for an entire workday will have an RFC that rules out all types of sedentary work, and should qualify for disability benefits.

Medical Records You Need to Get Disability for High Blood Pressure

Your medical records are the core of your Social Security disability application. The SSA won't award you benefits without evidence of a "medically determinable impairment," meaning the agency can't find you disabled based on subjective complaints alone. Ideally, you'll have a treating relationship with a doctor who can provide the SSA with a year or more of progress notes containing a diagnosis of hypertension backed by objective findings. Here are some examples of objective records that can help support your disability claim:

• regular blood pressure readings consistently above 140/90
• blood test results showing any abnormalities in your oxygenation levels
• a list of prescribed medications and any side effects from them
• X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans demonstrating organ damage caused by hypertension
• a TILT table test measuring how your blood pressure responds to positional changes
• exercise tests showing below average lung capacity, and
• psychological tests demonstrating cognitive limitations after a stroke.

If you don't have a regular doctor or the SSA thinks it needs more testing before deciding your claim, the agency may request that you attend a consultative examination on the agency's dime. The consulting doctor's report only provides a snapshot of your health on the day of the exam, however, so before you apply for benefits it's best to establish care with a regular physician (if you haven't already).

SSDI and SSI Benefit Amounts for Hypertension

Social Security doesn't pay benefits based on the kind of disabling condition you have—if you qualify for disability, you'll receive the same amount for high blood pressure as you would for depression or back pain. Instead, your monthly check depends on the type of benefit program you qualify for. SSDI amounts are calculated from your earnings history, while SSI payments consist of a flat monthly rate minus any countable income you have for that month.

For 2025, the maximum amount you can receive in SSDI is $4,018 per month (up from $3,822 in 2024), but the average payment is much lower, around $1,600. That's because SSDI is based on individual wage history, which varies greatly between beneficiaries. SSI payments are based on the federal benefit rate, which in 2025 is $967 per month (up from $943 in 2024). Some states have additional cash supplements for SSI recipients, but they are often modest amounts.

VA Disability Rating for High Blood Pressure

Veterans who have hypertension that's related to their time on active duty ("service connection") may qualify for a VA disability rating. The VA assigns ratings for hypertensive vascular disease according to the Schedule of Rating Disabilities diagnostic code 7101. In order to get a VA rating for hypertensive vascular disease, your systolic blood pressure must be at least 90 mm Hg. Your percentage disability rating will then depend on your blood pressure as evidenced by the chart below:

Keep in mind that the above ratings are for hypertension only—if you have complications from uncontrolled high blood pressure, or your hypertension is the result of an underlying disorder, the VA will evaluate your claim for disability compensation under the more appropriate diagnostic code.

Applying for SSDI, SSI, or VA Disability Benefits

Filing for Social Security disability is fairly simple. The agency provides several methods for you to apply for SSDI or SSI. The most convenient way to start your application is by using the Social Security web portal. Currently, only SSDI applications can be completed entirely online. You can begin your application for SSI online, but a representative will contact you to complete the application over the phone or in person.

Both SSDI and SSI claims can be filed by calling the national Social Security hotline at 800-772-1213 (TTY number at 800-325-0778) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also go to your local Social Security field office in person. Field offices are generally open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., although some require that you make an appointment before you drop by, so it's wise to call ahead and ask.

Veterans can apply for disability compensation by completing Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits. The easiest way to do this is to file the electronic version online, but you can also print out the form and fax it to 844-531-7818 or 248-524-4260 (from outside the U.S.) or bring it to your local VA office.

Getting Legal Help With Your Disability Claim

You aren't obligated to get an attorney to file for SSDI, SSI, or VA benefits, but it's usually a smart idea. An experienced Social Security advocate or VA disability lawyer can help you navigate each agency's appeals process, gather the proper medical records needed to document your hypertension (and related conditions), and represent you at a hearing if necessary. Most disability lawyers work on contingency—meaning they don't get paid unless you win—so you'll have few, if any, out-of-pocket costs.