Screening for hypertension

This code signifies an encounter for the sole purpose of screening for elevated blood pressure in an asymptomatic individual. It indicates that the patient does not have a pre-existing diagnosis of hypertension and is undergoing a routine check for this condition.

Use this code when a patient presents for a general health check-up or preventive screening where blood pressure is measured as part of a routine assessment. It is appropriate when there are no signs or symptoms of hypertension, and no prior diagnosis has been established.

• Do not use this code if the patient has a confirmed diagnosis of hypertension; instead, code the specific hypertension diagnosis.
• If the screening reveals elevated blood pressure requiring further investigation or management, this code would be primary, followed by any abnormal findings (e.g., 796.2, Elevated blood pressure reading, without diagnosis of hypertension).
• This code is typically used as a primary diagnosis when the reason for the encounter is purely screening.