| 1 | DVBCWAM1 ;ALB/JFP ARRHYTHMIAS WKS TEXT - 1 ; 11 FEB 1997 | 
|---|
| 2 | ;;2.7;AMIE;**16**;Apr 10, 1995 | 
|---|
| 3 | ; | 
|---|
| 4 | ; | 
|---|
| 5 | TXT ; | 
|---|
| 6 | ;;A.  Review of Medical Records: | 
|---|
| 7 | ;; | 
|---|
| 8 | ;;B.  Medical History (Subjective Complaints): | 
|---|
| 9 | ;; | 
|---|
| 10 | ;;    1.  Type of arrhythmia, onset of disorder, frequency and | 
|---|
| 11 | ;;        duration of attacks.  Attacks confirmed by EKG or Holter | 
|---|
| 12 | ;;        monitor?. | 
|---|
| 13 | ;;    2.  Pacemaker present?  If so, when was it inserted, | 
|---|
| 14 | ;;        effectiveness, side effects? | 
|---|
| 15 | ;;    3.  Other treatment?  If so, type, effectiveness, side effects? | 
|---|
| 16 | ;;    4.  For sustained ventricular arrhythmias, atrioventricular | 
|---|
| 17 | ;;        block, and implantable cardiac pacemakers (if ventricular | 
|---|
| 18 | ;;        arrhythmia or atrioventricular block was the reason for the | 
|---|
| 19 | ;;        pacemaker), the examiner must provide the METs level, | 
|---|
| 20 | ;;        determined by exercise testing, at which symptoms of dyspnea, | 
|---|
| 21 | ;;        fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope result. | 
|---|
| 22 | ;;    5.  Exercise testing is not required for the above listed | 
|---|
| 23 | ;;        conditions in the following circumstances: | 
|---|
| 24 | ;;        a.  If exercise testing is medically contraindicated: | 
|---|
| 25 | ;;            1)  In that case, provide the medical reason exercise | 
|---|
| 26 | ;;                testing cannot be conducted, and | 
|---|
| 27 | ;;            2)  Provide an estimate of the level of activity | 
|---|
| 28 | ;;                (expressed in METs and supported by specific | 
|---|
| 29 | ;;                examples, such as slow stair climbing, or | 
|---|
| 30 | ;;                shoveling snow) that results in dyspnea, fatigue, | 
|---|
| 31 | ;;                angina, dizziness, or syncope. | 
|---|
| 32 | ;;        b.  For sustained ventricular arrhythmia-from date of | 
|---|
| 33 | ;;            hospital admission for initial evaluation and medical | 
|---|
| 34 | ;;            therapy for a sustained ventricular arrhythmia or for | 
|---|
| 35 | ;;            ventricular aneurysmectomy, and for six months | 
|---|
| 36 | ;;            following discharge. | 
|---|
| 37 | ;;        c.  With an automatic implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator | 
|---|
| 38 | ;;            (AICD) in place. | 
|---|
| 39 | ;;        d.  For two months following hospital admission for | 
|---|
| 40 | ;;            implantation or reimplantation of an implantable | 
|---|
| 41 | ;;            cardiac pacemaker. | 
|---|
| 42 | ;;        e.  If an exercise test has been done within the past year, | 
|---|
| 43 | ;;            the results are of record, and there is no indication | 
|---|
| 44 | ;;            that there has been a change in the cardiac status of | 
|---|
| 45 | ;;            the veteran since. | 
|---|
| 46 | ;;    6.   For implantable cardiac pacemakers - if supraventricular | 
|---|
| 47 | ;;         arrhythmia was the reason for the pacemaker - describe any | 
|---|
| 48 | ;;         attacks of atrial fibrillation or other symptoms. | 
|---|
| 49 | ;;    7.   Describe the effects of the condition on the veteran's | 
|---|
| 50 | ;;         usual occupation and daily activities. | 
|---|
| 51 | ;; | 
|---|
| 52 | ;;C.  Physical Examination (Objective Findings): | 
|---|
| 53 | ;; | 
|---|
| 54 | ;;    Address each of the following and fully describe current findings: | 
|---|
| 55 | ;;    1.  Heart size and method of determination, heart rate and | 
|---|
| 56 | ;;        rhythm, blood pressure. | 
|---|
| 57 | ;;    2.  Status of cardiac function - evidence of congestive heart | 
|---|
| 58 | ;;        failure. | 
|---|
| 59 | ;;    3.  Cardiac arrhythmia - type.  Confirmed by EKG or Holter | 
|---|
| 60 | ;;        monitor? | 
|---|
| 61 | ;; | 
|---|
| 62 | ;;D  Diagnostic and Clinical Tests: | 
|---|
| 63 | ;; | 
|---|
| 64 | ;;   1.  EKG. | 
|---|
| 65 | ;;   2.  Holter monitor, other tests as indicated. | 
|---|
| 66 | ;;   3.  Chest X-ray, exercise stress test, echocardiogram, Holter | 
|---|
| 67 | ;;       monitor, thallium study, angiography, etc., as appropriate, | 
|---|
| 68 | ;;       and as required or indicated. | 
|---|
| 69 | ;;   4.  Include results of all diagnostic and clinical tests | 
|---|
| 70 | ;;       conducted in the examination report, including status of | 
|---|
| 71 | ;;       left ventricular function, if measured. | 
|---|
| 72 | ;; | 
|---|
| 73 | ;;E.  Diagnosis: | 
|---|
| 74 | ;; | 
|---|
| 75 | ;; | 
|---|
| 76 | ;; | 
|---|
| 77 | ;;Signature:                                        Date: | 
|---|
| 78 | ;;END | 
|---|