ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Question: We saw a patient with a diagnosis of cardiac arrest. What ICD-10 codes should we turn to?

Codify Subscriber

Answer: There are three ICD-10 codes for cardiac arrest. They are as follows:

• I46.2 (Cardiac arrest due to underlying cardiac condition)
• I46.8 (Cardiac arrest due to other underlying condition)
• I46.9 (Cardiac arrest, cause unspecified).

Coder tips: Work with your physician to ensure you have easy access to documentation of the underlying cause of the cardiac arrest so you may code more accurately. Not only will you need to know whether the underlying cause is “cardiac” or “other” to choose between I46.2 and I46.8, but you’ll also need to know the specific underlying condition so you may report it separately.

Cardiac arrest defined: Cardiac arrest refers to a sudden loss of heart function caused by the heart’s electrical system (that is, arrhythmia). Cardiac arrest differs from a heart attack, which results from a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart.