2025 ICD-10-CM code I15
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Diseases of the circulatory system - Hypertensive diseases (I10-I1A) Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) Feed
Secondary hypertension. Code also underlying condition.
Medical necessity for the management of secondary hypertension relies on demonstrating the causal link between the underlying condition and the elevated blood pressure. This requires documentation of the diagnosed underlying condition and evidence that it is contributing to the patient's hypertension, along with the potential health risks if left untreated. Payer-specific guidelines and regulatory requirements for documenting medical necessity should be adhered to.
Diagnosis and management of the underlying condition causing the secondary hypertension is the clinical responsibility, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving specialists like nephrologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, and sleep medicine specialists, depending on the etiology.
In simple words: Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure caused by something else going on in your body, like a problem with your kidneys or hormones.
Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that's caused by another medical condition.Conditions that can cause secondary hypertension include kidney problems, adrenal gland tumors, certain medications (such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, over-the-counter pain relievers and some prescription drugs), sleep apnea, and alcohol abuse or chronic alcohol use.
Example 1: A patient with chronic kidney disease exhibits elevated blood pressure readings consistently above 140/90 mmHg. After ruling out other causes, the physician diagnoses the patient with secondary hypertension due to the underlying kidney disease., A patient presents with symptoms of a pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland).Biochemical tests confirm the diagnosis, and the patient's blood pressure is found to be significantly elevated. The elevated blood pressure is attributed to the pheochromocytoma, classifying it as secondary hypertension., A patient on long-term corticosteroid therapy for an autoimmune disorder develops sustained high blood pressure.After evaluating other potential causes, the physician determines that the hypertension is secondary to the corticosteroid medication.
Documentation for I15 should include the following: elevated blood pressure readings, details of the underlying medical condition causing the hypertension (e.g., kidney disease, endocrine disorder, medication use, sleep apnea, alcohol abuse), diagnostic test results (e.g., blood tests, urine tests, imaging studies) confirming the underlying condition and ruling out other causes of hypertension, and treatment plan for both the hypertension and the underlying condition.
** For accurate and comprehensive coding, refer to iFrameAI for detailed information on specific subcategories of I15, which further classify secondary hypertension based on the underlying cause (e.g., renovascular hypertension, hypertension secondary to endocrine disorders). iFrameAI can also provide updated coding guidelines, NCCI edits, and other relevant information for proper reimbursement.
- Specialties:Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Sleep Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital