2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code E50.9

Vitamin A deficiency, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Code:
E50.9
ICD-10 Code for:
Vitamin A deficiency, unspecified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
    (E00–E89)
    • Other nutritional deficiencies
      (E50-E64)
      • Vitamin A deficiency
        (E50)

E50.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of vitamin a deficiency, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like E50.9 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Approximate Synonyms

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

  • Disorder of carotene
  • Disorder of vitamin A
  • Hereditary hypercarotenemia and vitamin A deficiency
  • Inadequate intake of vitamin A and/or vitamin A derivative
  • Vitamin A below reference range
  • Vitamin A deficiency

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Vitamin A Deficiency

    a nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of vitamin a in the diet, characterized by night blindness and other ocular manifestations such as dryness of the conjunctiva and later of the cornea (xerophthalmia). vitamin a deficiency is a very common problem worldwide, particularly in developing countries as a consequence of famine or shortages of vitamin a-rich foods. in the united states it is found among the urban poor, the elderly, alcoholics, and patients with malabsorption. (from cecil textbook of medicine, 19th ed, p1179)
  • Vitamin A Deficiency

    deficiency of vitamin a due to malnutrition, malabsorption, or dietary lack. it is manifested with reduced night vision, night blindness, and xerophthalmia.

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.
  • Hypovitaminosis A NOS

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 E50.9 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 264.9 - Vitamin A deficiency NOS
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.

Patient Education


Malnutrition

Food provides the energy and nutrients you need to be healthy. If you don't get enough nutrients -- including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals - you may suffer from malnutrition.

Causes of malnutrition include:

  • Lack of specific nutrients in your diet. Even the lack of one vitamin can lead to malnutrition.
  • An unbalanced diet
  • Certain medical problems, such as malabsorption syndromes and cancers

Symptoms may include fatigue, dizziness, and weight loss. Or, you may have no symptoms. To diagnose the cause of the problem, your doctor may do blood tests and a nutritional assessment. Treatment may include replacing the missing nutrients and treating the underlying cause.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Vitamin A

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. Vitamin A plays a role in your:

  • Vision
  • Bone growth
  • Reproduction
  • Cell functions
  • Immune system

Vitamin A is an antioxidant. It can come from plant or animal sources. Plant sources include colorful fruits and vegetables. Animal sources include liver and whole milk. Vitamin A is also added to foods like cereals.

Vegetarians, young children, and alcoholics may need extra Vitamin A. You might also need more if you have certain conditions, such as liver diseases, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease. Check with your health care provider to see if you need to take vitamin A supplements.

NIH: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements


[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] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.