Poisoning by aspirin, assault, initial encounter

This code signifies an intentional act of harm involving the administration of aspirin to a patient, resulting in a toxic effect. The patient is in the active phase of treatment for the poisoning.

Apply this code when documenting a patient presenting with symptoms of aspirin overdose due to an assault, such as gastric distress, tinnitus, or metabolic acidosis, and who is receiving initial medical care. This includes emergency department visits or initial inpatient admissions for stabilization and treatment of the acute poisoning.

• Ensure documentation clearly states "assault" as the intent of the aspirin poisoning.
• Verify that the encounter is the "initial encounter" for this specific poisoning event.
• Always code with an external cause code (e.g., Y09.-) to fully describe the circumstances of the assault.