What Causes Diabetes II? (Primary SC Conditions)

What Other Conditions Can Diabetes II Lead to? (Potential Secondary Conditions)

<aside> 🎳 Not-So-Fun Fact

Diabetes affects nearly 25% of the VA’s patient population. The disease is also the leading cause of blindness, end stage renal disease, and amputations for VA patients.

Visit Medline Plus to learn about diabetes treatment, the latest medical research and more from the National Institutes of Health.

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<aside> 🌐 Resources

Rating Criteria for Diabetes

Code 7913: Diabetes mellitus is the condition that most of us think of as just diabetes. It occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin (Type 1), or when the cells do not respond properly to insulin (Type 2). Type 3 diabetes can occur during pregnancy, but this condition resolves after the birth and is not ratable. Diabetes can affect many different organs including the heart, eyes, and kidneys. It can cause strokes, loss of blood flow to the arms and legs, and nerve dysfunction. It usually takes 10 to 20 years for these secondary conditions to develop.

DC 7913: Diabetes Mellitus II Rating
1. Requires an insulin injection more than once a day, a restricted diet, and a low physical activity level;
  1. It causes three or more hospitalizations each year or requires weekly visits to a care provider; and
  2. It causes continuous weight loss and weakness. | 100% | | 1. Requires at least one or more insulin injections each day;
  3. a restricted diet;
  4. a low physical activity level;
  5. one or two hospitalizations each year or two visits a month to a care provider; and
  6. minor side effects that would not make a person unemployable without the diabetes. | 60% | | requires at least one or more insulin injections each day, a restricted diet, and a low physical activity level (must be medically necessary) | 40% | | requires at least one or more insulin injections each day and a restricted diet, or requires medication taken by mouth and a restricted diet | 20% | | can be managed by a restricted diet alone | 10% |

<aside> 🏃 “Regulation of Activities”

The term regulation of activities is defined parenthetically in 38 CFR 4.119, DC 7913 to mean the requirement of “avoidance of strenuous occupational and recreational activities.”  In turn this must be understood as meaning that the avoidance is required to help control blood sugar. Evidence must document that the avoidance of strenuous activities is required/prescribed as part of medical management of the individual’s diabetes. See VA Adjudication Manual, M21-1MR*,* III.iv.4.F.1.e.

Camacho v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 360 (2007) - in order to be granted a 40% disability rating for diabetes mellitus II, the evidence must show that it is medically necessary for the claimant to avoid strenuous occupational and recreational activities.

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Code 7909: Diabetes insipidus is completely different from diabetes mellitus. It is either caused by the body not producing enough Antidiuretic Hormone or by the kidneys not recognizing and responding properly to that hormone. Without this hormone, much higher levels of water in the body are filtered out through the urine. It causes Polyuria.

This condition is rated 30% for the first 3 months after diagnosis. At that point, if there is still polyuria that requires constant hormone medication, it is rated 10%. All other remaining symptoms are rated separately.

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