AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2010 Issue 4; VOLUMES 1 & 2 NEW/REVISED CODES

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (Pickwickian Syndrome)

Effective October 1, 2010, a new code has been created to uniquely identify obesity hypoventilation syndrome (278.03). In obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), breathing problems cause chronic hypoventilation, which manifests with decreased oxygen levels and elevated carbon dioxide levels. OHS is also called Pickwickian syndrome. It involves sleep-disordered breathing. The breathing problems may be related to both obesity and to neurological issues. Many people with this condition also frequently stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep, causing partial awakenings during the night, which leads to sleepiness during the day. The disease puts pressure on the heart, which...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS .

Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.