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2025 ICD-10-CM code J43

Emphysema is a chronic lung disease characterized by the destruction of alveoli, leading to shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.

Follow the official ICD-10-CM coding guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema.Accurate coding requires comprehensive clinical documentation to support the diagnosis.

Modifiers are not applicable to ICD-10 codes.They are used with CPT and HCPCS codes to further specify the circumstances of a service or procedure.

Medical necessity for the diagnosis and treatment of emphysema is established based on clinical findings such as dyspnea, reduced pulmonary function, and imaging evidence of emphysema.Treatment options should be consistent with severity and the patient's overall health status.

The clinical responsibility for managing a patient with emphysema involves diagnosing the condition, assessing its severity, managing associated symptoms, and providing patient education regarding risk factors, disease progression, and treatment options. This often involves collaboration between pulmonologists, primary care physicians, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare professionals.

IMPORTANT:J43.0: Unilateral pulmonary emphysema (MacLeod's syndrome); J43.1: Panlobular emphysema; J43.2: Centrilobular emphysema; J43.8: Other emphysema; J43.9: Emphysema, unspecified; J44: Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (if emphysema is present with chronic bronchitis);Excludes codes for other conditions that might mimic or be associated with emphysema, such as compensatory emphysema (J98.3), emphysema due to inhalation of chemicals (J68.4), interstitial emphysema (J98.2), mediastinal emphysema (J98.2), neonatal interstitial emphysema (P25.0), surgical emphysema (T81.82), and traumatic subcutaneous emphysema (T79.7).

In simple words: Emphysema is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.Your lungs' tiny air sacs are damaged, making it difficult to get enough oxygen.Smoking is the biggest cause, but it can also be genetic.Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and may include medicine, breathing exercises, and oxygen.

Emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterized by the abnormal enlargement of the air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles, accompanied by destruction of the alveolar walls without obvious fibrosis. This results in reduced elasticity of the lungs and impaired airflow, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, chronic cough, and wheezing.The most common cause is long-term exposure to cigarette smoke, but other factors such as genetic predisposition (alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency) and air pollution can contribute.Severity varies widely, and diagnosis involves clinical evaluation, pulmonary function tests, and imaging studies. Treatment options include smoking cessation, bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, pulmonary rehabilitation, and in severe cases, supplemental oxygen and lung volume reduction surgery.

Example 1: A 65-year-old male with a 40-pack-year smoking history presents with progressive shortness of breath, chronic cough, and wheezing. Pulmonary function tests reveal significantly reduced FEV1 and increased total lung capacity, consistent with severe emphysema. Treatment involves bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, and pulmonary rehabilitation., A 70-year-old female with a history of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency develops dyspnea and decreased exercise tolerance.Chest CT scan confirms the presence of panlobular emphysema. Treatment involves oxygen therapy and consideration for lung volume reduction surgery., A 50-year-old male with a history of moderate emphysema experiences an acute exacerbation with increased cough, sputum production, and fever.Treatment includes antibiotics, bronchodilators, and supplemental oxygen.

Thorough documentation is crucial for accurate coding.This includes the patient's history (including smoking history, family history, and exposure to environmental factors), physical examination findings, pulmonary function test results (spirometry, DLCO), imaging studies (chest X-ray, CT scan), and treatment plan.

** Accurate coding requires detailed clinical documentation, including patient history, physical examination, diagnostic test results, and treatment plan.Consider using appropriate ICD-10-CM codes to identify any associated conditions such as chronic bronchitis, respiratory infections, or other comorbidities.

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