2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T43.615AAdverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›T36-T50›T43

ICD-10-CM T43.615A
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

T43.615A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 791, 793, 917 through 918. The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor. Coders also document this condition as adverse reaction to caffeine. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Adverse effects of drugs and medicaments, initial encounter; and Stimulant-related disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
T43.615A
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter
Short Description
Adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Adverse effect of caffeine

Code Classification

ChapterS00–T88Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
SectionT36-T50Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances
CategoryT43Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified
This CodeT43.615AAdverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for T43.615A.

There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Adverse reaction to caffeine
  • Adverse reaction to xanthine and/or xanthine derivative
  • Caffeine-related disorder
  • Phosphodiesterase inhibitor adverse reaction

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

When coding an adverse effect of a drug that has been correctly prescribed and properly administered, assign the appropriate code for the nature of the adverse effect followed by the appropriate code for the adverse effect of the drug.

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified (T43). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:

  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to T43.615A: its own notes plus those printed at T43.6, T43, block T36-T50, and Chapter 19. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

From Block T36-T50 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances applies to 3,186 codes
  • adverse effect of correct substance properly administered
  • poisoning by overdose of substance
  • poisoning by wrong substance given or taken in error
  • underdosing by (inadvertently) (deliberately) taking less substance than prescribed or instructed

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From T43.6 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychostimulants applies to 120 codes
  • poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of cocaine (T40.5-)
From Block T36-T50 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances applies to 3,186 codes
  • toxic reaction to local anesthesia in pregnancy (O29.3-)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From T43 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified applies to 354 codes
  • appetite depressants (T50.5-)
  • barbiturates (T42.3-)
  • benzodiazepines (T42.4-)
  • drug dependence and related mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10.- -F19.-)
  • methaqualone (T42.6-)
  • psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] (T40.7-T40.9-)
From Block T36-T50 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances applies to 3,186 codes
  • abuse and dependence of psychoactive substances (F10-F19)
  • abuse of non-dependence-producing substances (F55.-)
  • immunodeficiency due to drugs (D84.821)
  • drug reaction and poisoning affecting newborn (P00-P96)
  • pathological drug intoxication (inebriation) (F10-F19)
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes

Code First

The underlying condition named in the note is sequenced before this code.

From Block T36-T50 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances applies to 3,186 codes
  • for adverse effects, the nature of the adverse effect, such as:
  • adverse effect NOS (T88.7)
  • aspirin gastritis (K29.-)
  • blood disorders (D56-D76)
  • contact dermatitis (L23-L25)
  • dermatitis due to substances taken internally (L27.-)
  • nephropathy (N14.0-N14.2)

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

From Block T36-T50 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances applies to 3,186 codes
  • code(s) to specify:
  • manifestations of poisoning
  • underdosing or failure in dosage during medical and surgical care (Y63.6, Y63.8-Y63.9)
  • underdosing of medication regimen (Z91.12-, Z91.13-)
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Block T36-T50 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances applies to 3,186 codes
  • The drug giving rise to the adverse effect should be identified by use of codes from categories T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5.
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
  • The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

7th Character

Every code in the category takes a 7th character from the listed values, with the placeholder X filling any empty positions before it.

From T43 Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified applies to 354 codes
  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T43
  • Ainitial encounter this code
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR INJ028
Adverse effects of drugs and medicaments, initial encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes
CCSR MBD021
Stimulant-related disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Caffeine

    a methylxanthine naturally occurring in some beverages and also used as a pharmacological agent. caffeine's most notable pharmacological effect is as a central nervous system stimulant, increasing alertness and producing agitation. it also relaxes smooth muscle, stimulates cardiac muscle, stimulates diuresis, and appears to be useful in the treatment of some types of headache. several cellular actions of caffeine have been observed, but it is not entirely clear how each contributes to its pharmacological profile. among the most important are inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, antagonism of adenosine receptors, and modulation of intracellular calcium handling.

Table of Drugs and ChemicalsClinical

Substances in the Table of Drugs and Chemicals that reference this code family. Always confirm in the Tabular List before coding.

SubstanceAccidentalSelf-harmAssaultUndeter­minedAdverse
Effect
Under­dosing
CaffeineT43.611T43.612T43.613T43.614T43.615T43.616
Psychostimulant::caffeineT43.611T43.612T43.613T43.614T43.615T43.616

Patient EducationClinical

Drug Reactions

Most of the time, medicines make our lives better. They reduce aches and pains, fight infections, and control problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes. But medicines can also cause unwanted reactions, such as drug interactions, side effects, and allergies.

The full article covers:

  • What is a drug interaction?
  • What are side effects?
  • What are drug allergies?
  • How can I stay safe when taking medicines?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert T43.615A to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
995.29 Adv eff med/biol NEC/NOS
ApproximateCombination The match is approximate, and more than one code can be needed to describe the source diagnosis. Confirm with contextual judgment.
ICD-9-CM
E939.7 Adv eff psychostimulants
ApproximateCombination The match is approximate, and more than one code can be needed to describe the source diagnosis. Confirm with contextual judgment.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About T43.615AOverview

What is the ICD-10 code for adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter?

The ICD-10-CM code for adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter is T43.615A (sometimes written as T43615A). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is T43.615A (Adverse effect of caffeine) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What does the 7th character A in T43.615A mean?

The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for adverse effect of caffeine, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.

What MS-DRG does T43.615A group to?

On inpatient claims, adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter maps to MS-DRG 793, 791, 918, 917, with relative weights from 0.8716 to 4.2192 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can T43.615A be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because adverse effect of caffeine, initial encounter describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.