Hypokalemia ICD-10-CM codes

Hypokalemia has a single code, E87.6, with no characters for severity or cause. It is a diagnosis, not a lab value: the provider must document hypokalemia or low potassium for the code to be assigned, and a potassium result on its own does not support it. Potassium depletion and hypopotassemia both index to E87.6.

When the hypokalemia is caused by a medication, add the adverse effect code with the E87.6 code sequenced first: T50.1X5A for loop diuretics such as furosemide and T50.2X5A for thiazides and other diuretics. Z79.899 can be added for the long-term diuretic therapy. Associated metabolic alkalosis is E87.3 and volume depletion is E86.0; both are coded in addition when documented.

Hypokalemia that occurs as a component of diabetic ketoacidosis treatment, refeeding, or another documented condition is still reported when the provider documents it and it is monitored or treated. Periodic paralysis from potassium shifts is G72.3, not E87.6. Hyperkalemia is the separate code E87.5.