Hypokalemia of newborn

This code identifies a newborn experiencing abnormally low levels of potassium in their blood. Hypokalemia in neonates can manifest with symptoms such as muscle weakness, lethargy, poor feeding, and cardiac arrhythmias. It reflects an electrolyte imbalance specific to the neonatal period.

Assign this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of hypokalemia in a newborn patient. This includes cases where the condition is identified through laboratory testing showing serum potassium levels below the normal range for neonates, and the physician explicitly diagnoses hypokalemia.

• Ensure the patient's age is documented as a newborn (0-28 days old) to support this specific code.
• Distinguish from hypokalemia in older infants or children, which would use different codes.
• Look for documentation of the underlying cause of the hypokalemia, as an additional code may be necessary.