2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R03Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R00-R09›R03

ICD-10-CM R03
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

R03 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as R03.0 and R03.1. As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R03
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis
Short Description
Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
R00-R09
Symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR00-R09Symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems
CategoryR03Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis
This CodeR03Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis

Specific Coding for Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosisOverview

Non-specific codes like R03 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • Use R03.0 for Elevated blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis of hypertension

  • Use R03.1 for Nonspecific low blood-pressure reading

Patient EducationClinical

High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls.

The full article covers:

  • What is blood pressure?
  • How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
  • What are the different types of high blood pressure?
  • Why do I need to worry about high blood pressure?
  • What are the treatments for high blood pressure?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

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 R03Overview

Is R03 (Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis need a more specific code from this category, such as R03.0 and R03.1.

Can R03 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.