SSDI for Heart Disease in Nevada: CHF, Ischemic Disease & What the Tests Must Show (2026)
Cardiac claims are the most test-driven claims in disability law. Where a back case can survive on clinical findings and a mental health case on treatment records, a heart case rises or falls on numbers: ejection fraction, stress test performance, imaging. That cuts both ways — a claimant with the right documented values has one of the most winnable claims in Nevada, while a claimant whose cardiologist never ordered the right test has a file full of symptoms and nothing the SSA will credit. Here is what the numbers need to say.
The Two Big Listings — and Their Magic Numbers
Listing 4.02 (chronic heart failure) requires, roughly: an ejection fraction of 30% or less during a stable period (systolic failure) or specified diastolic measurements — plus either symptoms seriously limiting daily activities, three or more fluid-retention episodes requiring treatment in a year, or inability to complete an exercise test at 5 METs or less for defined cardiac reasons.
Listing 4.04 (ischemic heart disease) is met through a markedly abnormal stress test at low workload, documented ischemic episodes requiring revascularization that can't be fully treated, or triple-vessel/left-main disease on angiography with serious symptom limitation.
Arrhythmias (4.05) qualify with recurrent syncope or near-syncope despite treatment, documented on monitoring. Note what is not on any list: a heart attack by itself. An MI that responds well to stenting and leaves a normal ejection fraction usually does not qualify — what matters is residual function.
Winning Below the Listings: The METs Path
Most approved cardiac claims in Nevada don't hit the 30% EF line. They win on RFC: a claimant limited to sedentary exertion by documented cardiac symptoms — angina at low workloads, dyspnea, fatigue from a 35–40% EF plus medications — combined with age over 50 and a physical work history, is a grid-rules approval. The critical evidence is an exercise test or a cardiologist's METs-based opinion translating your heart function into work terms: how many pounds, how much walking, what pace. Ask your cardiologist for exactly that.
The Evidence Checklist for Cardiac Claims
- Echocardiogram with ejection fraction, during a stable period (not mid-hospitalization)
- Stress test results — workload achieved (METs), symptoms and ECG changes at each stage
- Catheterization/angiography reports if performed — vessel involvement percentages matter
- Hospitalization records for every heart failure exacerbation — three in a year is itself listing-level evidence
- Medication list with side effects — beta-blocker fatigue and diuretic urgency are work-relevant limitations
- Your cardiologist's functional opinion — the document that converts numbers into a work capacity the SSA must address
Nevada-Specific Realities
Two local notes. First, summer matters: cardiologist-documented heat intolerance is a real limitation in a city where outdoor and warehouse work happens at 110°F — get it in the record, because vocational experts must account for it. Second, continuing to work light duty while your claim pends is dangerous territory: earnings over $1,690/month (2026 SGA) end the claim regardless of your ejection fraction. If your employer is carrying you on reduced or subsidized duty, that subsidy needs to be documented — it can keep countable earnings under the line.
Common Questions
Listing 4.02 generally requires 30% or less during a stable period, plus qualifying symptoms or test results. But claimants with EFs of 35–45% win regularly on residual functional capacity — especially over age 50 — when documented symptoms limit them to sedentary work.
No. An MI with good recovery and normal residual function typically does not qualify. What qualifies is lasting impairment: reduced ejection fraction, ongoing ischemia on testing, or documented symptom limits despite treatment for at least 12 months.
Yes, if documented. Environmental restrictions — no work in extreme heat — eliminate a meaningful share of Las Vegas jobs a vocational expert could otherwise cite. Ask your cardiologist to state the restriction explicitly in your records.
Is your condition documented well enough to win?
That's the question a free case review answers. Get your situation in front of a licensed Nevada disability attorney — no fee unless you win.
Start My Free Case Review →This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. Listing criteria are set by federal regulation (20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1) and change periodically — verify current criteria at ssa.gov. NevadaAttorneyFinder is a directory, not a law firm. To verify any Nevada attorney's license, contact the State Bar of Nevada at (702) 382-2200.