Neonatal cardiac failure

This code signifies the inability of a neonate's heart to pump sufficient blood to meet the body's metabolic demands, leading to signs and symptoms of circulatory dysfunction. It represents a state of cardiac decompensation occurring in the newborn period.

Use this code for newborns diagnosed with heart failure, regardless of the underlying etiology (e.g., congenital heart disease, perinatal asphyxia, sepsis). Documentation should clearly indicate a diagnosis of cardiac failure in a neonate, supported by clinical findings such as tachypnea, hepatomegaly, edema, or poor perfusion.

• Always code the underlying cause of the neonatal cardiac failure, if known, as a primary diagnosis.
• Distinguish from transient tachypnea of the newborn (P22.1) or other respiratory distress syndromes (P22.-) unless cardiac failure is explicitly diagnosed.
• Ensure documentation specifies "neonatal" or "newborn" to differentiate from cardiac failure in older infants or children.