Overdose ICD-10-CM Codes
Read this short guide and learn about overdose ICD codes you can use to ensure accurate medical billing.
Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.
What overdose ICD codes can I use?
If you’re looking for overdose ICD codes, you’ve come to the right place. Please note that the majority of these codes have one of three labels:
- Initial Encounter, which means that the patient is currently receiving active treatment for it,
- Subsequent Encounter, which means that the patient is currently in the recovery phase and is still being given active care,
- and Sequela, which means that the patient is dealing with the after-effects of a problem, which, in the context of this guide, is an overdose. Given this, two other ICD-10 codes should accompany an ICD-10 code with this label, and one should designate the sequela’s nature, while the other should describe the sequela (meaning its effects).
Most of these codes will also be labeled as accidental (meaning they overdosed by accident) or intentional self-harm (meaning they intended to overdose).
For this guide, we will only list the ones labeled with Initial Encounter. What’s important is that you see at least ten overdose ICD codes so you can see the variety of causes for overdose. We will also only list down those that are Accidental. It’s best to assume that there is an Intentional Self-harm variation of it.
Here are some examples of overdose-related ICD-10 codes you can use:
- T36.0X1A - Poisoning by penicillins, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on penicillin.
- T36.1X1A - Poisoning by cephalosporins and other beta-lactam antibiotics, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on cephalosporins and/or other beta-lactam antibiotics.
- T36.2X1A - Poisoning by chloramphenicol group, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on a substance from a chloramphenicol group.
- T36.3X1A - Poisoning by macrolides, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on macrolides.
- T36.4X1A - Poisoning by tetracyclines, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on tetracyclines.
- T36.6X1A - Poisoning by rifampicins, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on rifampicins.
- T36.7X1A - Poisoning by antifungal antibiotics, systemically used, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on antifungal antibiotics that they’ve been using systemically.
- T37.0X1A - Poisoning by sulfonamides, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on sulfonamides.
- T37.1X1A - Poisoning by antimycobacterial drugs, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on antimycobacterial drugs.
- T37.2X1A - Poisoning by antimalarials and drugs acting on other blood protozoa, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient who accidentally/unintentionally overdosed on antimalarials and/or drugs that act on other blood protozoa.
Are these overdose ICD codes billable?
Yes. All the aforementioned overdose-related ICD-10 codes are valid and billable.
Clinical information about overdose
When we speak of overdose, we speak of the accidental or intentional excessive consumption of a prescribed, over-the-counter, or illegal substance. Anyone taking in more than the recommended amount (or not, if illegal) might have harmful effects on their body. If such effects emerge, that means they’ve overdosed.
Overdosing on substances is a serious matter because it can lead to unwanted complications that may impact a person’s life for the rest of their days, or they can outright die. The effects and their respective severities will depend on the substance the person overdosed on and how much they excessively took.
Here are some symptoms that people who overdose on substances will experience or exhibit:
- They will start shaking and have tremors or convulsions
- They might become prone to becoming agitated easily and may exhibit aggression or develop a tendency to become violent
- They will feel drowsy and/or become prone to falling unconscious
- They will feel nauseated and may vomit
- They might lose their orientation, lack coordination, and may lose their balance
- They will have trouble breathing and start palpitating
- They might start hallucinating or become delusional
Synonyms include:
- Accidental ampicillin overdose
- Accidental ampicillin poisoning
- Accidental carbenicillin overdose
- Accidental carbenicillin poisoning
- Accidental cloxacillin overdose
- Accidental cloxacillin poisoning
- Accidental flucloxacillin overdose
- Accidental flucloxacillin poisoning
- Accidental penicillin G poisoning
- Accidental piperacillin poisoning
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Commonly asked questions
Yes, but we don’t recommend using them because they are likely invalid.
By following the instructions of healthcare professionals. They should also keep the medicines in plain sight to prevent children from consuming them by accident. They shouldn’t mix drugs without instructions from professionals, and they shouldn’t take them while drinking alcohol.
If the patient is misusing drugs because they’re addicted or doing so to deal with mental health issues, they should see a rehabilitation specialist and/or a mental health specialist.
It depends on the dosage the patient took. Some professionals will use IV fluids to aid with speeding up the removal of substances from the body, some will force patients to vomit in the hope of having them vomit the substance out, and some will use activated charcoal to absorb the substance.
