Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac condition that occurs when the heart’s upper chambers beat irregularly and fast. The ICD-10 code for atrial fibrillation is I48.0.
Here are some tips for coders when assigning ICD-10 codes for atrial fibrillation:
- Specify whether the atrial fibrillation is paroxysmal (comes and goes) or persistent (continuous for more than seven days).
- Specify whether the atrial fibrillation is associated with heart disease or not.
- If the patient has both atrial fibrillation and heart failure, assign separate codes for each condition.
- If the patient has atrial fibrillation due to a known cause (such as hyperthyroidism), assign a code for the underlying condition in addition to the I48.0 code.
- If the patient has atrial fibrillation following a surgical procedure, use the appropriate complication code in addition to the I48.0 code.
- If the patient has both atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, assign separate codes for each condition.
- If the patient has atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response, use a combination code to reflect both conditions.
It’s important to accurately assign the appropriate ICD-10 code for atrial fibrillation to ensure proper reimbursement and tracking of the patient’s condition.