Learn about moderate persistent asthma diagnosis, clinical documentation, and medical coding. Find information on symptoms, treatment, and management of moderate persistent asthma. Explore resources for healthcare professionals, including ICD-10 codes, SNOMED CT codes, and best practices for accurate clinical documentation. Understand the criteria for diagnosing moderate persistent asthma and improve your coding and documentation practices. This resource offers valuable information for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers involved in asthma care.
Also known as
Moderate persistent asthma
Asthma with moderate symptoms and limitations.
Moderate persistent asthma w/ (acute) exacerbation
Moderate persistent asthma with a sudden worsening of symptoms.
Severe persistent asthma
Asthma with severe symptoms and significant limitations.
Severe persistent asthma w/ (acute) exacerbation
Severe persistent asthma with a sudden worsening of symptoms.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is asthma confirmed?
Yes
Asthma severity: Moderate Persistent?
No
Do not code as asthma. Investigate alternative diagnoses.
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
Moderate persistent asthma |
Exercise-induced bronchospasm |
Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease |
Insufficient or conflicting documentation of symptom frequency, nighttime awakenings, FEV1 values, and medication use can lead to inaccurate coding of asthma severity.
Acute exacerbations requiring hospitalization may be miscoded as moderate persistent asthma instead of status asthmaticus if documentation lacks clarity.
Overcoding comorbidities like allergic rhinitis or GERD without clear documentation of their impact on asthma management can lead to inflated risk scores.
Patient presents with moderate persistent asthma, characterized by daily symptoms requiring albuterol use, nighttime awakenings more than once per week but not nightly, and some limitation in normal activity. Pulmonary function testing reveals FEV1 between 60% and 80% predicted, with FEV1FVC ratio reduced below the lower limit of normal. Patient reports symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and cough. Triggers identified include allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and pollen, as well as exercise and respiratory infections. Current medications include a daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid. Assessment includes review of symptom frequency and severity, lung function, and response to current therapy. Diagnosis of moderate persistent asthma confirmed based on National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) guidelines. Plan includes stepping up therapy to a medium-dose inhaled corticosteroid or adding a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) to the current inhaled corticosteroid. Patient education provided on asthma management, including proper inhaler technique, medication adherence, and trigger avoidance. Follow-up scheduled in 4-6 weeks to assess response to treatment and adjust management as needed. ICD-10 code J45.41, moderate persistent asthma, assigned. Medical billing codes for evaluation and management, pulmonary function testing, and medications documented.