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Wiki Urgent:"Primary Diag" question

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jsd123

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Pt presents to ER following attempted suicide via Valium ODand experiencing severe hypotension from the overdose (pt tried suicide due to depression from colon cancer diag)

I say the primary diag is the Valium poisoning but a colleague believes it is the hypotension. (of course there's the depression & cancer also!)

What should the PRIMARY diag be?

Thanks!

Janice
 
Janice,

You are correct.

When coding for poisoning, the poisoning code is sequenced first, followed by a code for the manifestation- as documented in the ICD coding guidelines. In this case Valium OD is sequenced followed by hypotension, a manifestation of Valium poisoning.

Thank You,

Purnima S, CPC
 
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