Drug-induced gout, left elbow

This code signifies an inflammatory arthropathy of the left elbow caused by a medication. It involves the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in the joint, leading to acute pain, swelling, and tenderness specifically in the elbow. The condition is directly attributable to an adverse effect of a prescribed or illicit drug.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states gout affecting the left elbow, and explicitly links its etiology to a drug. This typically occurs following initiation or dosage change of medications known to elevate uric acid levels, such as diuretics or certain chemotherapy agents. Supporting documentation should include a physician's diagnosis of drug-induced gout and specify the affected joint.

• Always identify the specific drug causing the adverse effect and code it as an adverse effect (T36-T50 with 5th or 6th character 5).
• Ensure the documentation specifies "drug-induced" and not just "gout" to differentiate from primary or secondary gout not related to medication.
• Verify the laterality (left elbow) is clearly documented; if not specified, an unspecified laterality code would be more appropriate.