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  6. 2024 ICD-10-CM Code J81
Version 2024
Non-Billable Code

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J81

Pulmonary edema

ICD-10-CM Code:
J81
ICD-10 Code for:
Pulmonary edema
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the respiratory system
    (J00–J99)
    • Other respiratory diseases principally affecting the interstitium
      (J80-J84)
      • Pulmonary edema
        (J81)

J81 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of pulmonary edema. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Pulmonary edema

Non-specific codes like J81 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for pulmonary edema:

  • Use J81.0 for Acute pulmonary edema - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J81.1 for Chronic pulmonary edema - BILLABLE CODE

Clinical Information

  • Pulmonary Edema

    excessive accumulation of extravascular fluid in the lung, an indication of a serious underlying disease or disorder. pulmonary edema prevents efficient pulmonary gas exchange in the pulmonary alveoli, and can be life-threatening.

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.


Use Additional Code

Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.
  • code to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke Z77.22
  • history of tobacco dependence Z87.891
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke Z57.31
  • tobacco dependence F17
  • tobacco use Z72.0

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.
  • chemical acute pulmonary edema J68.1
  • hypostatic pneumonia J18.2
  • passive pneumonia J18.2
  • pulmonary edema due to external agents J60 J70
  • pulmonary edema with heart disease NOS I50.1
  • pulmonary edema with heart failure I50.1

Patient Education


Lung Diseases

When you breathe, your lungs take in oxygen from the air and deliver it to the bloodstream. The cells in your body need oxygen to work and grow. During a normal day, you breathe nearly 25,000 times. People with lung disease have difficulty breathing. Millions of people in the U.S. have lung disease. If all types of lung disease are lumped together, it is the number three killer in the United States.

The term lung disease refers to many disorders affecting the lungs, such as asthma, COPD, infections like influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis, lung cancer, and many other breathing problems. Some lung diseases can lead to respiratory failure.

Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health


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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.