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  6. 2024 ICD-10-CM Code R42
Version 2024
Billable Code
No Valid Principal Dx
Convert to ICD-9

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R42

Dizziness and giddiness

ICD-10-CM Code:
R42
ICD-10 Code for:
Dizziness and giddiness
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
    (R00–R99)
    • Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior
      (R40-R46)
      • Dizziness and giddiness
        (R42)

R42 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of dizziness and giddiness. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

The code is linked to some Quality Measures as part of Medicare's Quality Payment Program (QPP). When this code is used as part of a patient's medical record the following Quality Measures might apply: Referral For Otologic Evaluation For Patients With Acute Or Chronic Dizziness.

According to ICD-10-CM guidelines this code should not to be used as a principal diagnosis code when a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Apoplectic vertigo
  • Cervical vertigo
  • Chronic vertigo
  • Constant vertigo
  • Dissociative neurological symptom disorder co-occurrent with dizziness
  • Dizziness
  • Dizziness and giddiness
  • Dizziness due to drug
  • Dizziness due to drug
  • Dizziness following neck extension
  • Dizziness of unknown cause
  • Dizziness on standing up
  • Dizziness present
  • Dizzy spells
  • Dysequilibrium syndrome
  • Episodic recurrent vertigo
  • Essential vertigo
  • Exertional dizziness
  • Felt faint
  • Giddiness
  • Giddiness present
  • Lateral vertigo
  • Lightheadedness
  • Loss of equilibrium
  • Mal de debarquement syndrome
  • Multisensory dizziness
  • Nocturnal vertigo
  • Non-labyrinthine vertigo
  • Objective vertigo
  • Ocular vertigo
  • Oscillation of surroundings
  • Persistent postural perceptual dizziness
  • Posttraumatic vertigo
  • Posttraumatic vertigo
  • Postural dizziness
  • Severe vertigo
  • Severe vertigo, acute onset
  • Subjective vertigo
  • Vertigo
  • Vertigo as late effect of stroke
  • Vertigo as sequela of cerebrovascular disease
  • Vertigo as sequela of cerebrovascular disease
  • Vertigo as sequela of ischemic cerebrovascular accident
  • Vertigo associated with recent change in eyeglasses
  • Vertigo caused by drug
  • Vertigo due to and following embolic cerebrovascular accident
  • Vertigo due to and following hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident
  • Vertigo due to brain injury
  • Vertigo due to brain injury
  • Vertigo due to cervical arthrosis
  • Vertigo on awakening
  • Vertigo preceded by chewing
  • Vertigo preceded by head injury
  • Vertigo preceded by prolonged dental work or oral surgery
  • Vertigo preceded by unsteady feeling
  • Vertigo produced by neck pressure
  • Vertigo when trying to urinate
  • Vertigo, acute onset with vomiting and inability to stand
  • Vomiting symptom

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

    idiopathic recurrent vertigo associated with positional nystagmus. it is associated with a vestibular loss without other neurological or auditory signs. unlike in labyrinthitis and vestibular neuronitis, inflammation in the ear is not observed.

  • Betahistine

    a histamine analog and h1 receptor agonist that serves as a vasodilator. it is used in meniere disease and in vascular headaches but may exacerbate bronchial asthma and peptic ulcers.

  • Dimenhydrinate

    a drug combination that contains diphenhydramine and theophylline. it is used for treating vertigo, motion sickness, and nausea associated with pregnancy.

  • Meniere Disease

    a disease of the inner ear (labyrinth) that is characterized by fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss; tinnitus; episodic vertigo; and aural fullness. it is the most common form of endolymphatic hydrops.

  • Sulpiride

    a dopamine d2-receptor antagonist. it has been used therapeutically as an antidepressant, antipsychotic, and as a digestive aid. (from merck index, 11th ed)

  • Syncope

    a transient loss of consciousness and postural tone caused by diminished blood flow to the brain (i.e., brain ischemia). presyncope refers to the sensation of lightheadedness and loss of strength that precedes a syncopal event or accompanies an incomplete syncope. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, pp367-9)

  • Vertigo

    an illusion of movement, either of the external world revolving around the individual or of the individual revolving in space. vertigo may be associated with disorders of the inner ear (ear, inner); vestibular nerve; brainstem; or cerebral cortex. lesions in the temporal lobe and parietal lobe may be associated with focal seizures that may feature vertigo as an ictal manifestation. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, pp300-1)

  • Vestibular Neuronitis

    idiopathic inflammation of the vestibular nerve, characterized clinically by the acute or subacute onset of vertigo; nausea; and imbalance. the cochlear nerve is typically spared and hearing loss and tinnitus do not usually occur. symptoms usually resolve over a period of days to weeks. (adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p304)

  • Dizziness

    an imprecise term which may refer to a sense of spatial disorientation, motion of the environment, or lightheadedness.

  • Brain Ischemia

    localized reduction of blood flow to brain tissue due to arterial obstruction or systemic hypoperfusion. this frequently occurs in conjunction with brain hypoxia (hypoxia, brain). prolonged ischemia is associated with brain infarction.

  • Grade 1 Vertigo, CTCAE|Grade 1 Vertigo

    mild symptoms

  • Grade 2 Vertigo, CTCAE|Grade 2 Vertigo

    moderate symptoms; limiting instrumental adl

  • Grade 3 Vertigo, CTCAE|Grade 3 Vertigo

    severe symptoms; limiting self care adl

  • Vertigo

    a feeling of movement, a sensation as if the external world were revolving around the patient (objective vertigo) or as if he himself were revolving in space (subjective vertigo). vertigo is medically distinct from dizziness, lightheadedness, and unsteadiness.

  • Vertigo, CTCAE|Vertigo|Vertigo

    a disorder characterized by a sensation as if the external world were revolving around the patient (objective vertigo) or as if he himself were revolving in space (subjective vertigo).

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Light-headedness
  • Vertigo NOS

Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • vertiginous syndromes H81
  • vertigo from infrasound T75.23

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert R42 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 780.4 - Dizziness and giddiness

Quality Payment Program Measures

When code R42 is part of the patient's diagnoses the following Quality Measures apply and affect reimbursement. The objective of Medicare's Quality Measures is to improve patient care by making it more: effective, safe, efficient, patient-centered and equitable.

Quality Measure Description Quality Domain Measure Type High Priority Submission Methods
Referral for Otologic Evaluation for Patients with Acute or Chronic DizzinessPercentage of patients aged birth and older referred to a physician (preferably a physician specially trained in disorders of the ear) for an otologic evaluation subsequent to an audiologic evaluation after presenting with acute or chronic dizziness.Communication and Care CoordinationProcessYESClaims, Registry

Patient Education


Dizziness and Vertigo

When you're dizzy, you may feel lightheaded, woozy, or disoriented. If you feel like you or the room are spinning, you have vertigo. These feelings may make you lose your balance.

Dizziness can have many different causes. A sudden drop in blood pressure or being dehydrated can make you dizzy. Many people feel lightheaded if they get up too quickly from sitting or lying down. Certain medicines and problems with your inner ear may cause dizziness. So can motion sickness. Sometimes dizziness can be a symptom of other disorders.

As people get older, they may have more health problems and take more medicines. This makes them more likely to have problems with dizziness and balance.

Dizziness usually gets better by itself or is easily treated. If you are dizzy often, you should see your health care provider to find the cause.

NIH: National Institutes of Health


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.