2025 ICD-10-CM code J45
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Diseases of the respiratory system - Chronic lower respiratory diseases J00-J99 Feed
Asthma. This encompasses various forms, including allergic and non-allergic asthma.
Medical necessity for asthma treatment is established by the presence of characteristic symptoms and objective findings, such as reduced lung function. Treatment is necessary to alleviate symptoms, prevent exacerbations, improve quality of life, and avoid long-term complications.
Diagnosis and management of asthma falls under the purview of various medical professionals, including primary care physicians, pediatricians, allergists, and pulmonologists. Responsibilities include evaluating symptoms, performing diagnostic tests (such as spirometry), developing treatment plans (including medication and lifestyle modifications), and educating patients about managing their condition.
In simple words: Asthma is a long-term lung condition that makes breathing difficult. The airways in the lungs become inflamed and narrow, leading to symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Asthma can be triggered by allergies, irritants, or other factors.
Asthma, including allergic (predominantly) asthma, allergic bronchitis NOS, allergic rhinitis with asthma, atopic asthma, extrinsic allergic asthma, hay fever with asthma, idiosyncratic asthma, intrinsic nonallergic asthma, and nonallergic asthma. Use additional code to identify: eosinophilic asthma (J82.83), exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22), exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81), history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891), occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31), tobacco dependence (F17.-), and tobacco use (Z72.0).
Example 1: A 5-year-old child presents with recurrent wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath, especially at night and after exercise. Allergy testing reveals sensitivity to dust mites. The child is diagnosed with allergic asthma (J45)., A 30-year-old adult experiences sudden onset of wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing after exposure to strong fumes. The individual has no prior history of asthma. This is diagnosed as asthma (J45)., A 60-year-old with a long-standing history of smoking presents with chronic cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Pulmonary function tests confirm airway obstruction. The patient is diagnosed with asthma related to smoking. The code J45 is used, along with an additional code to specify tobacco use (Z72.0).
Documentation should include details of symptoms (wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath), triggers, severity, frequency of attacks, response to treatment, and results of diagnostic tests (e.g., spirometry, allergy tests).
** Excludes1: detergent asthma (J69.8), miner's asthma (J60), wheezing NOS (R06.2), wood asthma (J67.8). Excludes2: asthma with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (J44.89), chronic asthmatic (obstructive) bronchitis (J44.89), chronic obstructive asthma (J44.89), other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (J44.89).
- Specialties:Allergists, Pulmonologists, Pediatricians, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital, Urgent Care Facility, Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home, Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home