Ischemic cardiomyopathy

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart muscle is weakened and enlarged due to reduced blood flow (ischemia), typically caused by coronary artery disease. This chronic condition impairs the heart's ability to pump blood effectively, leading to heart failure symptoms. It represents a specific type of cardiomyopathy directly attributable to myocardial ischemia.

This code is used when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of ischemic cardiomyopathy. It is appropriate when the heart muscle dysfunction is directly linked to a history or presence of coronary artery disease, even if the acute ischemic event is no longer present. Documentation should specify "ischemic" to differentiate from other forms of cardiomyopathy.

• Do not use this code if the cardiomyopathy is due to non-ischemic causes (e.g., dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive).
• Always code the underlying coronary artery disease (CAD) if still present and contributing to the ischemic cardiomyopathy.
• Review the "Excludes2" note carefully; coronary atherosclerosis codes (I25.1-, I25.7-) are coded in addition to this code, not instead of it, when both conditions are present.