Drug induced akathisia

This code identifies a movement disorder characterized by an inner sense of restlessness and an inability to stay still, directly caused by the administration of a medication. Patients often exhibit repetitive movements like rocking, pacing, or crossing and uncrossing their legs in an attempt to alleviate this discomfort. It is a common adverse effect of certain psychotropic drugs.

Assign this code when documentation clearly links the patient's akathisia to a specific drug, such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, or antiemetics. The physician's notes should explicitly state "drug-induced akathisia" or describe the characteristic symptoms and identify the causative medication. This code is appropriate for both acute and chronic presentations of medication-induced restlessness.

• Always identify the specific drug causing the akathisia using an external cause code (T36-T50 with a 5th or 6th character indicating adverse effect).
• Do not confuse with tardive dyskinesia (G24.01-G24.09), which involves involuntary, repetitive movements, often of the face and mouth, and is also drug-induced but distinct from akathisia.
• Ensure the documentation specifies the akathisia is "drug-induced" to differentiate from other forms of akathisia not caused by medication.