Delirium due to known physiological condition

This code represents an acute confusional state characterized by fluctuating attention, disorganized thinking, and altered consciousness, directly attributable to an underlying medical condition. It signifies a transient cerebral dysfunction caused by a specific physiological derangement, rather than a primary psychiatric disorder.

Use this code when documentation clearly links the patient's delirium to an identifiable medical cause, such as infection, metabolic imbalance, organ failure, or medication side effect. Supporting documentation should include a physician's diagnosis of delirium and a stated or clearly implied physiological etiology.

• Ensure the documentation specifies a known physiological condition as the cause; otherwise, consider R41.0 (Delirium, unspecified).
• Always code the underlying physiological condition first, followed by this code.
• Distinguish from substance-induced delirium; for alcohol-induced, refer to F10.231 or F10.921.