Chronic respiratory failure with hypercapnia

This code signifies a long-standing impairment of the respiratory system's ability to adequately exchange gases, specifically characterized by persistently elevated levels of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia) in the arterial blood. It indicates a chronic state where the lungs are unable to effectively remove CO2, often due to underlying lung diseases or neuromuscular disorders.

This code is appropriate for patients with documented chronic respiratory failure where arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis consistently shows hypercapnia (elevated PaCO2). It is commonly seen in conditions such as severe COPD, advanced restrictive lung diseases, or neuromuscular conditions affecting respiratory muscles. Documentation should clearly state "chronic respiratory failure with hypercapnia" or provide ABG results supporting chronic hypercapnia in the context of respiratory failure.

• Do not use this code for acute exacerbations of chronic respiratory failure; a separate code exists for acute on chronic.
• Always code the underlying cause of the chronic respiratory failure first, if known and applicable.
• Ensure documentation explicitly states "chronic" and "hypercapnia" to support this specific code.