Vascular dementia, severe, with other behavioral disturbance

This code signifies a severe form of vascular dementia characterized by significant cognitive decline due to cerebrovascular disease, accompanied by behavioral disturbances beyond just mood or psychotic symptoms. These disturbances may include agitation, aggression, disinhibition, or wandering, significantly impacting the patient's daily functioning and requiring substantial care.

Apply this code when documentation explicitly states a diagnosis of severe vascular dementia with co-occurring behavioral disturbances other than those classified as mood or psychotic. This typically requires a physician's assessment detailing the severity of cognitive impairment and specific descriptions of the disruptive behaviors.

• Ensure the documentation clearly differentiates "other behavioral disturbance" from mood disturbances (e.g., depression) or psychotic features (e.g., hallucinations), which have separate codes.
• Always sequence this code after the underlying cerebrovascular condition if it is still active and being treated.
• Verify the physician's notes confirm the "severe" classification of the dementia, as other codes exist for mild or moderate severity.