Heartburn

This code represents the symptom of heartburn, characterized by a burning sensation in the chest or throat, typically caused by the reflux of stomach acid. It is a common manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) but can also occur independently.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states "heartburn" as the primary or presenting symptom, without further specification of an underlying cause like GERD. It is appropriate when the provider has not yet established a definitive diagnosis for the heartburn.

• Do not use this code if a more specific diagnosis, such as GERD (K21.9), is documented.
• Be mindful of the "Excludes1" notes; never code this with dyspepsia NOS (R10.13) or functional dyspepsia (K30).
• If heartburn is a symptom of a definitively diagnosed condition, code the underlying condition first, and consider if this code is still necessary as a secondary diagnosis.