Athscl native arteries of extrm w intrmt claud, unsp extrm

This code signifies a form of peripheral artery disease (PAD) affecting the native arteries of the limbs, characterized by pain, cramping, or tiredness in the legs or arms that occurs during exercise and is relieved by rest. It specifically indicates that the affected extremity is not specified in the medical record.

Use this code when documentation confirms atherosclerosis of the native arteries in an extremity, and the patient experiences intermittent claudication, but the specific limb (e.g., right leg, left arm) is not documented. This code is appropriate when the physician's notes clearly state "intermittent claudication due to atherosclerosis of an unspecified extremity."

• Ensure documentation explicitly states "unspecified extremity" when using this code; otherwise, a more specific code for laterality should be chosen.
• Do not use this code if the claudication is due to an arterial bypass graft or a non-atherosclerotic condition.
• Consider additional codes for associated risk factors such as diabetes mellitus (E08-E13) or hyperlipidemia (E78.-).