Understanding uremia? Find key clinical documentation and medical coding insights for accurate diagnosis. Learn about uremia symptoms, causes, treatment, ICD-10 codes (N72.0, R79.0), BUN, creatinine levels, and dialysis information for healthcare professionals. Explore resources for improved patient care and optimized medical coding related to acute and chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease impacting uremia diagnosis.
Also known as
Chronic kidney disease
Uremia is a serious complication of chronic kidney disease.
Acute kidney failure
Acute kidney failure can also lead to uremia.
Extrarenal uremia
This code specifies uremia originating outside the kidneys.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the uremia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
Yes
CKD stage 1-5?
No
Is the uremia due to acute kidney injury (AKI)?
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
Uremia: Urea buildup in blood |
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) |
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) |
Coding uremia without specifying acute or chronic kidney disease stage impacts reimbursement and quality reporting.
Insufficient documentation linking uremia to CKD stage can lead to coding errors and denials for medical necessity.
Failure to capture and code uremic complications like encephalopathy or pericarditis understates severity and resource use.
Patient presents with signs and symptoms consistent with uremia, a clinical manifestation of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The patient reports fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and pruritus. Physical examination reveals altered mental status, pericardial friction rub, and asterixis. Laboratory findings indicate elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and potassium levels. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is significantly reduced, confirming impaired renal function. Diagnosis of uremia is based on the constellation of clinical findings, laboratory results, and decreased GFR. Differential diagnoses considered include acute kidney injury (AKI), dehydration, and heart failure. Treatment plan includes initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT), such as hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, to manage fluid and electrolyte imbalances and remove uremic toxins. Dietary modifications with protein restriction and potassium control are advised. Patient education regarding medication adherence, dialysis access care, and potential complications of uremia is provided. Follow-up appointments are scheduled to monitor renal function, electrolyte levels, and overall clinical status. ICD-10 code N18.9, Chronic kidney disease, unspecified, is documented for medical billing and coding purposes. The patient's prognosis is dependent on the initiation and effectiveness of RRT and management of underlying CKD.