What do FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC mean?
FEV-1 measures the amount of air exhaled in the first second of a forced exhalation and is compared with a predicted value. FEV-1/FVC is the ratio between that volume and forced vital capacity. A PFT report often contains several readings or clinical comments; do not treat a single unverified number as an automatic VA rating.
VA has additional respiratory-rating provisions in 38 CFR 4.96 that can affect interpretation of PFTs for certain diagnostic codes. An accurate review should use the examination report and the rules applicable to the condition being evaluated.
Can an asthma inhaler support a 30% rating?
Potentially, yes. Under DC 6602, daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy and inhalational anti-inflammatory medication appear among the 30% criteria. Intermittent bronchodilator therapy appears among the 10% criteria. The medication name alone may be insufficient: the prescribed route, frequency, and purpose matter.
Daily systemic high-dose corticosteroids or immunosuppressive medication appears at the 100% level, whereas intermittent systemic corticosteroid courses - at least three a year - can satisfy a 60% criterion. Do not confuse inhaled steroids with systemic steroids.
What evidence should you review?
- A current asthma diagnosis and relevant medical history.
- Service treatment records or other evidence relevant to the claimed service connection.
- Pulmonary function test results and clinician interpretation.
- Prescriptions that document type of medication, frequency, and route of administration.
- Physician records describing required care for exacerbations.
- The VA respiratory conditions DBQ.
- The rating decision's stated reasons, favorable findings, and identified missing elements.
The DBQ records medical findings; it is not a guarantee of service connection or a particular percentage. VA may request additional examination or records.
What if asthma is already rated and I have another disability?
VA uses combined-rating rules rather than simply adding percentages. For illustration, a 30% asthma rating and a separate 20% rating combine mathematically to 44%, generally rounding to a combined 40% before considering any other ratings or special rules. The result assumes both ratings have actually been awarded and no special factor changes the computation.
Try other combinations in the VA disability calculator. For the monthly dollar amount, consult the official VA rate tables.
Frequently asked questions
Is a diagnosis of asthma enough to receive VA disability compensation?
No. VA generally requires eligibility and service connection, plus evidence supporting the severity of the condition under the applicable criteria.
Does using a rescue inhaler mean I automatically get 30%?
No. Frequency, medication type, clinical evidence, and the criteria in DC 6602 matter.
Are three oral steroid courses in a year relevant?
Yes. The 60% criteria in DC 6602 include intermittent systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroid courses at least three times per year.
Can asthma be reviewed together with sleep apnea?
Those are different diagnoses and potentially different diagnostic codes. VA respiratory combined-rating restrictions may apply; separate ratings should not be assumed without reviewing 38 CFR 4.96 and the facts of the claim.
Where can I find the official respiratory DBQ?
See the public VA DBQ list and the specific respiratory conditions questionnaire.
Primary sources
