ICD10
ICD-10 Code I87.33: Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation
Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 21 May 2026
What is this code?
ICD-10 entries help standardize how diagnoses are organized for coding, reporting, analytics, and documentation. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99).
đź“‹Clinical overview
This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes idiopathic chronic venous hypertension. The most accurate code depends on whether ulcer, inflammation, combined ulcer and inflammation, or another complication is documented, and which lower extremity is affected.
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation in a patient's medical record.
- May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
- This code may act more like a grouping or parent code, so a more specific child code may be used in final documentation when available.
What it does not mean
- A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
- A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.
- This entry may represent a broader category rather than the most specific billable code.
đź©şClinical context
When commonly used
- Vascular, wound-care, primary-care, and rehabilitation workflows where chronic venous insufficiency or venous hypertension is documented with lower-extremity complications.
- Coding and utilization-review workflows where the record supports chronic venous hypertension and the final code changes based on complication pattern and laterality.
Common management context
- Evaluation often includes lower-extremity skin and edema assessment, ulcer or inflammation review, vascular follow-up context, compression-therapy planning, and wound-care coordination when present.
- Documentation usually becomes more specific when the chart identifies ulcer versus inflammation pattern, combined complications, and right, left, bilateral, or unspecified lower-extremity involvement.
- Specialist context already linked on this page includes Cardiologist, General Physician.
🔍Key distinctions
Important notes
- These ICD-10 codes are reserved for idiopathic chronic venous hypertension rather than acute venous thrombosis or other vascular disorders.
- Complication pattern and laterality both affect final code specificity inside this family.
- Combined ulcer-and-inflammation venous hypertension is coded separately from isolated ulcer, isolated inflammation, without-complication, or other-complication patterns.
- Documentation that describes chronic venous hypertension is coded differently from acute venous thrombosis, varicose-vein disorders, or other vascular disease contexts.
Related codes to consider
I87.331Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of right lower extremity
Related chronic-venous-hypertension ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies ulcer versus inflammation pattern, laterality, or another venous-disease context.
I87.332Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of left lower extremity
Related chronic-venous-hypertension ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies ulcer versus inflammation pattern, laterality, or another venous-disease context.
I87.333Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of bilateral lower extremity
Related chronic-venous-hypertension ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies ulcer versus inflammation pattern, laterality, or another venous-disease context.
I87.339Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of unspecified lower extremity
Related chronic-venous-hypertension ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies ulcer versus inflammation pattern, laterality, or another venous-disease context.
Code hierarchy
chapter
9Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
block
I80-I89Diseases of veins, lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes, not elsewhere classified
category
I87Other disorders of veins
category
I87.3Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic)
currentI87.3
Official coding notes
Applicable to
- code to specify site and severity of ulcer (L97.-)
Use additional code
- code to specify site and severity of ulcer (L97.-)
Where you may see this code
You may see this entry in coding references, medical records, or claims workflows when a broader diagnosis category is being reviewed before a more specific code is chosen.
Related specialists
CardiologistGeneral Physician
Related codes
I87.331Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of right lower extremitycodeI87.332Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of left lower extremitycodeI87.333Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of bilateral lower extremitycodeI87.339Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammation of unspecified lower extremitycode
Sibling codes
Coding guidelines
Common synonyms
Chronic venous hypertension (idiopathic) with ulcer and inflammationChronic venous hypertensionChronic venous hypertension idiopathic with ulcer and inflammation
Frequently asked questions
About this content
This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.