Vascular dementia, mild, with agitation

This code signifies a diagnosis of vascular dementia that is mild in severity and is accompanied by symptoms of agitation. Vascular dementia results from brain damage due to impaired blood flow, leading to cognitive decline. Agitation in this context refers to excessive motor activity, restlessness, or aggressive behaviors.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of mild vascular dementia and explicitly states the presence of agitation. This typically applies to patients exhibiting early signs of cognitive impairment due to cerebrovascular disease, along with observable agitated behaviors. Supporting documentation would include neurological assessments, cognitive evaluations, and behavioral observations.

• Ensure the documentation specifies "mild" severity for the vascular dementia; otherwise, a different severity code would be appropriate.
• Confirm that "agitation" is clearly documented as a behavioral disturbance associated with the dementia, not a separate, unrelated condition.
• Always sequence the dementia code first, followed by any associated behavioral or psychiatric symptoms if applicable and not inherent to the dementia code itself.