Body system: Respiratory SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97DBQ: DBQ RESP Respiratory Conditions (Other than Tuberculosis and Sleep Apnea)
Bronchial asthma is a chronic condition where your airways become inflamed and narrow, making it hard to breathe. The VA rates asthma from 10% to 100% based primarily on lung function tests (called spirometry) and how often you need treatment. Higher ratings reflect more severe breathing problems - a 100% rating means your lung function is severely impaired or you need strong daily medications to control frequent, severe attacks.
Rating levels
- 100% — Your asthma qualifies for this rating if your lung function tests show severe impairment (FEV-1 measures how much air you can blow out in one second, and it's less than 40% of what's normal for someone your age and size), or if you have more than one asthma attack per week that causes respiratory failure (when your lungs can't get enough oxygen to your body). You also qualify if you need to take high-dose steroid pills or injections every day, or other strong medications that suppress your immune system to control your asthma.
- 60% — You qualify for this rating if your lung function tests show you can only breathe out 40-55% of what's predicted for someone your age and size, or if the ratio between how much air you can push out in one second versus your total lung capacity is between 40-55%. You also qualify if your asthma flare-ups are severe enough that you need to see a doctor at least once every month, or if you need steroid pills or injections at least three times per year to control your symptoms.
- 30% — You qualify for this rating if your breathing tests show your lung function is between 56-70% of what's expected for someone your age and size (FEV-1 is how much air you can blow out in one second, and FEV-1/FVC compares that to your total lung capacity). You also qualify if you need to use daily inhalers with bronchodilators (medications that open your airways like albuterol) or anti-inflammatory medications (like corticosteroids) to control your asthma symptoms.
- 10% — You qualify if your breathing test shows your lung function is between 71-80% of what's expected for someone your age and size (FEV-1 measures how much air you can blow out in one second, and FEV-1/FVC compares that to your total lung capacity). You also qualify if you need to use rescue inhalers or take oral medications on and off to control your asthma symptoms, rather than needing them daily.