2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code E87.6Hypokalemia

ICD-10-CM Codes›E00–E89›E70-E88›E87

ICD-10-CM E87.6
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

E87.6 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for hypokalemia. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 640 through 641. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Fluid and electrolyte disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
E87.6
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Hypokalemia
Short Description
Hypokalemia
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
E87
Other disorders of fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance

Code Classification

ChapterE00–E89Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
SectionE70-E88Metabolic disorders
CategoryE87Other disorders of fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance
This CodeE87.6Hypokalemia

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute hypokalemia
  • Chronic hypokalemia
  • Drug-induced hypokalemia
  • Hypokalemia
  • Hypokalemia with normal acid-base balance
  • Hypokalemia, ECF to ICF shifts
  • Hypokalemia, gastrointestinal losses
  • Hypokalemia, inadequate intake
  • Hypokalemic acidosis
  • Inadequate intake of potassium
  • Nutritional myopathy
  • Paraneoplastic hypokalemia
  • Potassium depletion myopathy

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Potassium K deficiency

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Deficiency, deficient
      • kalium
    • Deficiency, deficient
      • potassium (K)
    • Depletion
      • potassium
    • Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis
      • potassium (deficiency)
    • Hypokalemia
    • Hypopotassemia
    • Syndrome
      • hypokalemic
    • Syndrome
      • hypopotassemia

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR END011
Fluid and electrolyte disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Gitelman Syndrome

    an inherited renal disorder characterized by defective nacl reabsorption in the convoluted distal kidney tubule leading to hypokalemia. in contrast with bartter syndrome, gitelman syndrome includes hypomagnesemia and normocalcemic hypocalciuria, and is caused by mutations in the thiazide-sensitive sodium-potassium-chloride symporters.

  • Hypokalemia

    abnormally low potassium concentration in the blood. it may result from potassium loss by renal secretion or by the gastrointestinal route, as by vomiting or diarrhea. it may be manifested clinically by neuromuscular disorders ranging from weakness to paralysis, by electrocardiographic abnormalities (depression of the t wave and elevation of the u wave), by renal disease, and by gastrointestinal disorders. (dorland, 27th ed)

  • Grade 1 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 1 Hypokalemia

  • Grade 2 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 2 Hypokalemia

    symptomatic with

  • Grade 3 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 3 Hypokalemia

    <3.0 - 2.5 mmol/l; hospitalization indicated

  • Grade 1 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 1 Hypokalemia

  • Grade 2 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 2 Hypokalemia

    symptomatic with

  • Grade 3 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 3 Hypokalemia

    <3.0-2.5 mmol/l; hospitalization indicated

  • Grade 4 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 4 Hypokalemia

    <2.5 mmol/l; life-threatening consequences

  • Grade 5 Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Grade 5 Hypokalemia

    death

  • Hypokalemia

    lower than normal levels of potassium in the circulating blood.

  • Hypokalemia, CTCAE|Hypokalemia|Hypokalemia

    a disorder characterized by laboratory test results that indicate a low concentration of potassium in the blood.

  • WDHA Syndrome|Islet Cell WDHA Syndrome|Pancreatic Cholera|Pancreatic WDHA Syndrome|Verner Morrison Syndrome|WDHH|Watery Diarrhea Syndrome|Watery Diarrhea with Hypokalemic Alkalosis|Watery Diarrhea, Hypokalemia, and Achlorhydria Syndrome

    a rare syndrome characterized by severe watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, and achlorhydria. it is caused by the oversecretion of vasoactive intestinal peptide from the pancreatic islet cells.

Patient EducationClinical

Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

Electrolytes are minerals that have an electric charge when they are dissolved in water or body fluids, including blood. The electric charge can be positive or negative. You have electrolytes in your blood, urine (pee), tissues, and other body fluids.

The full article covers:

  • What are electrolytes?
  • What are the different types of electrolytes in your body?
  • What is an electrolyte imbalance?
  • What are the different types of electrolyte imbalances?
  • How are electrolyte imbalances diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for electrolyte imbalances?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert E87.6 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
276.8 Hypopotassemia
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About E87.6Overview

Is E87.6 (Other disorders of fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report hypokalemia on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does E87.6 group to?

When hypokalemia is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 640, 641, with relative weights from 0.7782 to 1.3356 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of E87.6?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, hypokalemia converts to ICD-9-CM 276.8 (hypopotassemia). The mapping is a direct match.

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.