Rheu heart disease w rheumatoid arthritis of left ank/ft

This code signifies a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by both rheumatoid arthritis affecting the left ankle and foot, and concurrent cardiac involvement due to the rheumatoid disease process. It indicates that the heart condition is a direct manifestation or complication of the underlying rheumatoid arthritis.

Apply this code when documentation explicitly states rheumatoid arthritis of the left ankle and foot with an associated rheumatoid heart condition. This typically includes diagnoses such as rheumatoid pericarditis, myocarditis, or valvulitis directly attributed to the patient's rheumatoid arthritis. Supporting documentation would include physician notes detailing both the joint involvement and the cardiac manifestation, often with diagnostic test results confirming the heart disease.

• Ensure the documentation clearly links the heart disease to the rheumatoid arthritis, rather than it being an unrelated cardiac condition.
• Do not use this code if the rheumatoid arthritis affects a different joint or if the heart disease is not specified as rheumatoid in origin.
• Sequence this code as the primary diagnosis if it is the main reason for the encounter, or as a secondary diagnosis if the focus is on another condition but the rheumatoid heart disease is being managed.