Diagnose, Document and Code Pericarditis - Use the Right ICD-10 Codes

Diagnose, Document and Code Pericarditis - Use the Right ICD-10 Codes

Pericarditis refers to swelling and inflammation of the pericardium. This article lists the ICD-10 codes for accurately documenting this condition.

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Pericardial disease or pericarditis refers to swelling and inflammation of the pericardium the thin, two layered, fluid-filled sac-like membrane that covers the outer surface of the heart. The role of the pericardium is to provide lubrication for the heart and shield the heart from severe infection and malignancy. It also keeps the heart from over-expanding when blood volume increases, which in turn helps in proper functioning of the heart.

Generally, this heart condition begins suddenly, but doesn’t last long (acute). Most cases of pericarditis inflammation are mild and improve on their own. The condition becomes chronic when the symptoms develop gradually and can often lead to severe illness and even cardiac damage. Treatment for more severe cases may include medications and sometimes surgery (in case of complications). Early diagnosis and treatment could help reduce the risk of long-term complications associated with pericarditis. For proper clinical documentation of this cardiac disorder, physicians can rely on medical billing outsourcing services.

The exact cause of pericarditis is often hard to determine. In most cases, physicians either are unable to determine a specific cause (idiopathic) or suspect a viral infection. The condition can also develop shortly after a major heart attack due to the mild irritation of the underlying damaged heart muscle. Some of the other less common causes include systemic inflammatory disorders, complication of a bacterial infection, heart or chest injury, autoimmune disorders, certain medications and other health disorders.

Types of Pericardial Disease and Immediate Symptoms Pericardial disease include three main types   

Acute pericarditis – symptoms begin suddenly, but don’t last long (symptoms last less than three weeks).

Chronic pericarditis – symptoms develop gradually and persist, or may persist after an acute attack (symptoms last longer than three months).

Recurring pericarditis – repeated attacks of acute pericarditis (occurs about four to six weeks).

The signs and symptoms of pericarditis may depend upon the specific type and may vary from one person to another. One of the most common symptoms of this condition is sharp, piercing chest pain in the centre or left side of your chest. Depending on the type and cause of pericarditis, symptoms may also include     

Shortness of breath when reclining Nausea Low-grade fever Heart palpitations Dry cough

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 

An overall sense of weakness, fatigue or feeling sick Abdominal or leg swelling

How Is Pericarditis Diagnosed and Treated?

In most cases, physicians start their diagnosis by reviewing your previous medical history and asking specific questions about the occurrence of any symptoms like chest pain and other weakness or fatigue. They will perform a detailed physical examination and check your heart rate and sounds - to check for the specific characteristic sound of pericarditis, called “pericardial rub” which occurs when the pericardial layers rub against each other.

They will conduct several tests and procedures to determine whether the patient had suffered a heart attack (previously) and whether any fluid accumulation is in the pericardial sac or whether there are signs of inflammation. Physicians may do blood tests to determine if a bacterial or other type of infection is present. Apart from this, physicians may also recommend several diagnostic imaging tests like - Electrocardiogram (ECG), Echocardiogram, Computerized tomography (CT), Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Chest X-ray.

Treatment for this heart condition would depend on the specific cause as well as the severity of the symptoms. As mentioned above, mild cases of pericarditis may get better on their own without treatment. Treatment modalities include medications like pain relievers (such as aspirin or ibuprofen) and Colchicines (Colcrys, Mitigare) which help reduce the inflammation and swelling associated with the condition. Antibiotics and drainage (if necessary) will be prescribed if the condition is the result of severe bacterial infection.

However, patients in some cases may need to be hospitalized if the physician suspects cardiac tamponade, (a severe complication of pericarditis due to fluid buildup around the heart). If cardiac tamponade is suspected, physicians may recommend procedures such as pericardiocentesis and pericardiectomy, which help relieve or reduce the fluid buildup.

Medical Codes to Use Cardiology medical coding involves the use of specific ICD-10 codes to document various heart conditions, including pericardial disease. ICD-10-CM codes used to indicate a diagnosis of pericarditis for reimbursement purposes include I30 - Acute pericarditis    

I30.0 - Acute nonspecific idiopathic pericarditis I30.1 - Infective pericarditis I30.8 - Other forms of acute pericarditis I30.9 - Acute pericarditis, unspecified

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I31 - Other diseases of pericardium       

I31.0 - Chronic adhesive pericarditis I31.1 - Chronic constrictive pericarditis I31.2 - Hemopericardium, not elsewhere classified I31.3 - Pericardial effusion (noninflammatory) I31.4 - Cardiac tamponade I31.8 - Other specified diseases of pericardium I31.9 - Disease of pericardium, unspecified

I32 - Pericarditis in diseases classified elsewhere Following a healthy lifestyle and utilizing home remedies can help prevent pericarditis in the long run. Taking adequate rest and over-the-counter pain medications (as per physician’s direction) can help reduce the symptoms and severity of this heart condition. In addition, patients are required to avoid rigorous physical activity as these activities can trigger the symptoms.

Medical coding for different cardiac conditions can be complex. For accurate and timely medical billing and claims submission, healthcare practices can outsource their medical coding tasks to a reliable and established medical billing and coding company that provides the services of AAPC-certified coding specialists. Outsourcing also ensures more time on the physician’s hands, which can be spent on providing more care and attention for patients.

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