Advanced Search

Cardiology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Find Elevated Creatine Kinase Dx Here

Published on Tue Jan 23, 2007

Question: The cardiologist examined a patient whose only diagnosis was "elevated creatine kinase." How should we code this diagnosis? Nebraska Subscriber Answer: Enzyme levels may rise in a patient with symptoms of a myocardial infarction. Use 790.5 (Other nonspecific abnormal serum enzyme levels) to report these elevated levels. This code signifies a nonspecific, abnormal finding; it does not necessarily mean the patient is having a myocardial infarction. - If the primary care physician (PCP) encounters these levels when checking a patient for chest pain, for example, the PCP will likely call the cardiologist, and the patient may go to the catheterization lab to see if a myocardial infarction has occurred.
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Cardiology Coding Alert

View All