Finding of opiate drug in blood

This code indicates the presence of an opiate substance detected in a patient's blood sample. It signifies a positive laboratory finding for opiates, which are a class of drugs derived from opium or synthetic compounds with opium-like effects. This finding does not inherently diagnose an overdose or addiction, but rather the presence of the drug itself.

This code is appropriate when laboratory results confirm the presence of an opiate drug in a blood specimen. It is often used in toxicology screenings, emergency department evaluations for altered mental status, or in cases of suspected drug exposure. Documentation must clearly state the positive finding of an opiate in the blood.

• Do not use this code to indicate opiate overdose; instead, use the appropriate T40.- code for poisoning by opiates.
• This code is typically a secondary diagnosis, with the primary diagnosis reflecting the reason for the encounter (e.g., altered mental status, injury).
• Ensure documentation specifies "blood" as the specimen type; other specimen types (e.g., urine) would require a different code.