NIHSS score 15

This code indicates a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 15, signifying a moderately severe neurological deficit following an acute ischemic stroke. The NIHSS is a systematic assessment tool used to quantify the severity of stroke-related neurological impairment.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states an NIHSS score of 15, typically assessed during the acute phase of an ischemic stroke. This score reflects the patient's neurological status and helps guide treatment decisions and prognosis.

• Always ensure the specific NIHSS score is clearly documented by the physician.
• This code is typically used as a secondary diagnosis, following the acute ischemic stroke code (e.g., I63.x).
• Do not assign this code if the NIHSS score is not explicitly documented as 15; use the unspecified NIHSS code (R29.70) if the score is not specified but an NIHSS assessment was performed.