Retrograde amnesia

This code represents a specific type of memory loss where an individual cannot recall events or information that occurred before the onset of amnesia. While new memories can often be formed, access to past memories is impaired. This condition can range in severity and duration, affecting personal history, facts, and skills.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a patient's primary deficit is the inability to retrieve previously learned information or past experiences. This diagnosis is often supported by neurological evaluations, cognitive assessments, or detailed patient/family history describing a loss of pre-existing memories following a specific event (e.g., trauma, stroke, anoxia).

• Differentiate from anterograde amnesia (inability to form new memories); this code is specifically for retrograde loss.
• Always look for an underlying cause if documented (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) and code it first, if applicable, as the primary diagnosis.
• Ensure the medical record specifies the type of amnesia to avoid miscoding with more general memory loss codes.