Severe persistent asthma with (acute) exacerbation

This code signifies a chronic, severe form of asthma characterized by persistent symptoms and airflow limitation, currently experiencing a sudden worsening or flare-up. The patient's baseline asthma is severe and continuous, and the exacerbation indicates an acute increase in respiratory distress, wheezing, and/or cough.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of severe persistent asthma and the patient is presenting with an acute exacerbation requiring intervention. This typically involves increased medication use, emergency department visits, or hospitalization due to worsening asthma symptoms. Supporting documentation should specify both the severity level (severe persistent) and the presence of an acute exacerbation.

• Ensure the physician's documentation explicitly states "severe persistent asthma" and "exacerbation" or "acute exacerbation."
• Do not use this code if the exacerbation is not explicitly documented as "acute" or if the underlying asthma is not specified as "severe persistent."
• Consider sequencing this code as the primary diagnosis if the exacerbation is the reason for the encounter, followed by any associated conditions or complications.