ST Elevation and Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

A 69-year old female with a history of hypertension and cholesterolemia was admitted with severe chest pain. The patient developed recurrent ischemic pain and she was then taken to the cardiac lab. A left cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, left ventriculography, and stenting of second obtuse margin was performed. The postoperative diagnosis was non-ST segment myocardial infarction with two-vessel coronary artery disease. What are the appropriate code assignments for this admission? ...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AHA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This article covers how acute myocardial infarction terminology is discussed in ICD-9-CM, including the distinction between ST elevation and non-ST elevation presentations and how category 410 is organized around site and infarction type. It is aimed at coders and clinical documentation professionals who need to interpret MI documentation, understand the scope of the category changes, and recognize when related ST-segment elevation findings are not the same as an acute MI. The article also includes a coding scenario that illustrates the topic at a high level without replacing the full guidance.

Why This Topic Matters

Accurate interpretation of myocardial infarction documentation affects diagnosis coding specificity and supports consistent use of ICD-9-CM category 410. The topic is especially relevant when the record uses STEMI, NSTEMI, nontransmural, or nonspecific MI language, or when ST-segment elevation appears without a confirmed acute MI.

Article Sections

  1. Effective October 1, 2005 update

    Introduces a coding update tied to category 410 and the addition of inclusion terms. The section frames the discussion around revised myocardial infarction terminology.

  2. STEMI and NSTEMI terminology

    Describes the broad clinical distinction between ST elevation and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. It also explains the article’s emphasis on how these terms relate to ECG findings and myocardial involvement.

  3. ICD-9-CM category 410 overview

    Summarizes how the ICD-9-CM myocardial infarction category is structured by site. The section outlines the general relationship between coded categories and MI documentation language.

  4. Coding guidance and documentation scenarios

    Addresses general documentation situations involving site specificity, unspecified documentation, and changes in clinical terminology over time. It also notes that the article discusses ST-segment elevation findings that are not necessarily acute myocardial infarction.

  5. ICD-9-CM 410 code listing

    Presents the category 410 code list and its major grouped subcategories. The section serves as a reference overview for the myocardial infarction coding family.

  6. Coding example and question

    Includes a brief clinical scenario and a question about code assignment. The example provides context for how the topic is applied in practice.

What You Will Learn

  • How the article distinguishes major myocardial infarction terminology in ICD-9-CM
  • How category 410 is organized at a broad level
  • Why documentation language matters when identifying infarction type and site
  • What kinds of ST-segment elevation findings are discussed as separate from acute MI
  • How a sample inpatient MI scenario is framed in the article

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Clinical documentation improvement staff
  • Revenue cycle professionals
  • Health information management professionals

Codes Discussed

Code Ranges Discussed

  • ICD-9-CM: 410.0-410.6

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