Primary Care Coding Alert
Know the Difference Between These Hypertension Diagnoses
Question: If a patient has a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, does the patient have essential hypertension by default? Should I code I10 along with the pulmonary hypertension? AAPC Forum Participant Answer: No. The two conditions have different etiologies, and you should never assume a connection between them. Pulmonary hypertension, which occurs when there is high pressure in the artery leading from the heart to the lungs, is generally due to other conditions such as coronary heart disease and other congenital heart conditions, chronic lung diseases, and connective tissue disease. Essential, or primary, hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a more common condition caused by such lifestyle choices as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and obesity. Consequently, unless your provider has documented the existence of the two conditions, you should not automatically code I10 (Essential (primary) hypertension) with I27.0 (Primary pulmonary hypertension). The two are separate diagnoses, and you should only report both if they are medically relevant to a patient visit.
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Know the Difference Between These Hypertension Diagnoses
Question: If a patient has a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, does the patient have essential hypertension [...]
