Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: What is cardiomyopathy, and how should I report dilated cardiomyopathy?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: Cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscle becomes enlarged or thickened, or doesn’t contract as it normally would. This results in difficulty circulating blood throughout the body. Cardiomyopathy can be acquired or hereditary. Cardiomyopathy may lead to heart failure, valve problems, and arrhythmias.

Report I42.0 (Dilated cardiomyopathy) for dilated cardiomyopathy. Code I42.0 also includes congestive cardiomyopathy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart chambers enlarge and lose their ability to contract. It often starts in the left ventricle (bottom chamber). As the disease worsens, it may spread to the right ventricle and to the atria (top chambers). Main causes of dilated cardiomyopathy include coronary heart disease; heart attack; high blood pressure; diabetes; thyroid disease; viral hepatitis and HIV; infections, especially viral infections that inflame the heart muscle; and alcohol consumption, particularly for patients who also have a poor diet.