F32.A - Depression, unspecified

Approximate Synonyms

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

• Acute depression
• Antenatal depression
• Chronic depression
• Chronic depressive personality disorder
• Depressed mood
• Depressive disorder
• Depressive episode
• Improved mood
• Improvement in level of depressed mood
• Leaden paralysis
• Mild depression
• Minimal depression
• Moderate depression
• Moderately severe depression
• On depression register
• Persistent depressive disorder
• Psychological disorder during pregnancy
• Psychological sign or symptom
• Psychological symptom
• Reactive depression
• Recurrent depression
• Severe depression
• Symptoms of depression
• Treatment resistant depression

Clinical Information

• Adjustment Disorders-. maladaptive reactions to identifiable psychosocial stressors occurring within a short time after onset of the stressor. they are manifested by either impairment in social or occupational functioning or by symptoms (depression, anxiety, etc.) that are in excess of a normal and expected reaction to the stressor.
• Affective Disorders, Psychotic-. disorders in which the essential feature is a severe disturbance in mood (depression, anxiety, elation, and excitement) accompanied by psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, gross impairment in reality testing, etc.
• Bipolar Disorder-. a major affective disorder marked by severe mood swings (manic or major depressive episodes) and a tendency to remission and recurrence.
• Cortical Spreading Depression-. the decrease in neuronal activity (related to a decrease in metabolic demand) extending from the site of cortical stimulation. it is believed to be responsible for the decrease in cerebral blood flow that accompanies the aura of migraine with aura. (campbell's psychiatric dictionary, 8th ed.)
• Depression-. depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with major depressive disorder present in neurotic and psychotic disorders.
• Depression, Chemical-. the decrease in a measurable parameter of a physiological process, including cellular, microbial, and plant; immunological, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, urinary, digestive, neural, musculoskeletal, ocular, and skin physiological processes; or metabolic process, including enzymatic and other pharmacological processes, by a drug or other chemical.
• Depression, Postpartum-. depression in postpartum women, usually within four weeks after giving birth (parturition). the degree of depression ranges from mild transient depression to neurotic or psychotic depressive disorders. (from dsm-iv, p386)
• Depressive Disorder-. an affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. the mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent.
• Depressive Disorder, Major-. disorder in which five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. symptoms include: depressed mood most of the day, nearly every daily; markedly diminished interest or pleasure in activities most of the day, nearly every day; significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain; insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day; psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day; fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day; feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt; diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day; or recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt. (dsm-5)
• Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant-. failure to respond to two or more trials of antidepressant monotherapy or failure to respond to four or more trials of different antidepressant therapies. (campbell's psychiatric dictionary, 9th ed.)
• Economic Recession-. significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real gross domestic product, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales. (national bureau of economic research, inc, www.nber.org/cycles.html, accessed 4/23/2009)
• Inbreeding Depression-. a reduced genetic variation and genetic fitness due to inbreeding.
• Long-Term Synaptic Depression-. a persistent activity-dependent decrease in synaptic efficacy between neurons. it typically occurs following repeated low-frequency afferent stimulation, but it can be induced by other methods. long-term depression appears to play a role in memory.
• Respiratory Insufficiency-. failure to adequately provide oxygen to cells of the body and to remove excess carbon dioxide from them. (stedman, 25th ed)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder-. a syndrome characterized by depressions that recur annually at the same time each year, usually during the winter months. other symptoms include anxiety, irritability, decreased energy, increased appetite (carbohydrate cravings), increased duration of sleep, and weight gain. sad (seasonal affective disorder) can be treated by daily exposure to bright artificial lights (phototherapy), during the season of recurrence.
• Tooth Movement Techniques-. orthodontic techniques used to correct the malposition of a tooth or teeth.
• Vascular Depression-. late-life depression associated with clinical or mri defined cerebrovascular pathology.
• Migraine with Aura-. a subtype of migraine disorder, characterized by recurrent attacks of reversible neurological symptoms (aura) that precede or accompany the headache. aura may include a combination of sensory disturbances, such as blurred vision; hallucinations; vertigo; numbness; and difficulty in concentrating and speaking. aura is usually followed by features of the common migraine, such as photophobia; phonophobia; and nausea. (international classification of headache disorders, 2nd ed. cephalalgia 2004: suppl 1)
• Reactive Depression-. depression precipitated by events in a person's life.

Replacement Code

F32A replaces the following previously assigned ICD-10 code(s):

• F32.9 - Major depressive disorder, single episode, unspecified

Patient Education

Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness. It's more than just a feeling of being sad or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 19 million teens and adults in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Symptoms can include:

• Feeling sad or "empty"
• Loss of interest in favorite activities
• Overeating, or not wanting to eat at all
• Not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
• Feeling very tired
• Feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty
• Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression is a disorder of the brain. There are a variety of causes, including genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depression can happen at any age, but it often begins in teens and young adults. It is much more common in women. Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.

There are effective treatments for depression, including antidepressants, talk therapy, or both.

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health

Code History

• FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
• FY 2022 - Code Added, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022