Cardiology Coding Alert

SVT and PSVT fall under the same ICD-10 code.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is a fairly common diagnosis, so you need to be sure you're prepared to code for it when ICD-10 replaces ICD-9.

ICD-9-CM Code

• 427.0, Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia

ICD-10-CM Code

• I47.1, Supraventricular tachycardia

Supraventricular tachycardia refers to a faster than normal heart rate that originates in the atria or the atrioventricular node. "Paroxysmal" means the rapid heart rate happens occasionally.

ICD-9 coding rules: Code 427.0 applies to paroxysmal tachycardia documented as supraventricular, atrial (PAT), atrioventricular (AV), junctional, or nodal.

ICD-10 changes: ICD-10 crosses 427.0 to I47.1, which applies to tachycardia documented as atrial, AV, junctional, or nodal. The documentation may or may not include the term paroxysmal. Additionally, the code applies to AV re-entrant (nodal) tachycardia.

ICD-10 indexes both supraventricular tachycardia and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia to I47.1. ICD-9 indexes paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia to 427.0 and supraventricular tachycardia (not identified as paroxysmal) to 427.89 (Other specified cardiac dysrhythmias).

Documentation: Your physician's documentation for supraventricular tachycardia won't need to be any more specific for ICD-10 than it is for ICD-9.

Coder tips: You may see abbreviations used for this diagnosis, such as SVT for supraventricular tachycardia, PSVT for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, and AVNRT or AVRT for atrioventricular (nodal) re-entrant tachycardia.