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Cardiology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Use 794.31 for Prolonged QTc Interval

Published on Mon Nov 22, 2004

Question: My cardiologist documented a prolonged QTc interval. What diagnosis code should I use?

Wisconsin Subscriber Answer:  You should use 794.31 (Abnormal electrocardiogram [ECG] [EKG]).
 
The QT interval is an indirect measure of the duration of the ventricular action potential (depolarization) and ventricular refractory period (repolarization). The length of the QT interval depends on the patient's heart rate. Therefore, the QT interval is usually corrected for the heart rate and denoted as "QTc."
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