Sepsis ICD-10-CM codes | 2025

Which sepsis ICD codes are billable?

All of the codes mentioned above are billable.

Clinical information

• Sepsis is a life-threatening illness caused by an infection that triggers an extreme response in the immune system. 
• It has three stages: sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.
• Signs and symptoms of sepsis are fever, hypotension or a fast heart rate, confusion, difficulty breathing, extreme pain, and sweaty skin.
• On the other hand, signs and symptoms of severe sepsis will be a combination of the ones they're experiencing during sepsis and others, such as asthenia, thrombocytopenia, unconsciousness, bluish skin discoloration, dizziness, decreased urination, etc.
• When a patient has septic shock, in addition to the signs and symptoms of severe sepsis, one of the critical symptoms the patient will experience is extremely low blood pressure. 
• Bacteria are the most common cause of sepsis. However, particular viruses can also cause infection.
• Although anyone is susceptible to sepsis, those with a higher risk of infection are people undergoing chemotherapy, have HIV, are in ICUs, and have invasive devices like catheters or breathing tubes. Young children and seniors are also highly susceptible to infections. 
• One diagnosis of sepsis is by checking if the patient has symptoms of sepsis. If they do, the patient will undergo a blood test and, if needed, a urine test, wound/mucus secretion test, and imaging tests like x-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRI scans. 
• The severity of sepsis depends on whether it hits the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA). 
• Treatments for sepsis include antibiotics, medication, pain relievers, insulin, and sometimes dialysis or surgery.

Synonyms include

• Bacterial sepsis
• Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
• Clinical sepsis
• Clinical infection
• Sepsis without septic shock