Poisoning by antidiarrheal drugs

This code represents an adverse reaction, whether accidental or intentional, to antidiarrheal medications. It encompasses toxic effects resulting from overdose, misuse, or idiosyncratic reactions to drugs primarily used to treat diarrhea. The poisoning can manifest with various systemic symptoms depending on the specific antidiarrheal agent involved.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a patient has experienced poisoning due to an antidiarrheal drug. This includes scenarios such as accidental ingestion of an excessive dose, intentional overdose, or adverse effects from therapeutic use that reach toxic levels. Supporting documentation should specify the antidiarrheal agent and the nature of the poisoning.

• Always code the specific manifestation of the poisoning (e.g., coma, cardiac arrhythmias) as an additional diagnosis.
• Identify the specific antidiarrheal drug if known, using an E-code (E850.0-E858.9) to specify the external cause.
• Differentiate between poisoning (toxic effect) and adverse effect in therapeutic use (995.2x series) or allergic reaction (995.0, 995.1).