ICD10

ICD-10 Code J81: Pulmonary edema

J81 is an ICD-10 diagnosis entry used to group records related to Pulmonary edema. 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. 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 respiratory system (J00-J99).

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 respiratory system (J00-J99).

When is it used?

  • May be used when a clinician documents pulmonary edema 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.

Code hierarchy

chapter
10Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
block
J80-J84Other respiratory diseases principally affecting the interstitium
currentJ80-J84

Official coding notes

Applicable to
  • code to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
  • history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
  • tobacco dependence (F17.-)
  • tobacco use (Z72.0)
Excludes1 (do not code together)
  • chemical (acute) pulmonary edema (J68.1)
  • hypostatic pneumonia (J18.2)
  • passive pneumonia (J18.2)
  • pulmonary edema due to external agents (J60-J70)
  • pulmonary edema with heart disease NOS (I50.1)
  • pulmonary edema with heart failure (I50.1)
Use additional code
  • code to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
  • history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
  • tobacco dependence (F17.-)
  • tobacco use (Z72.0)

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

PulmonologistGeneral Physician

Coding guidelines

Compatibility

Legacy code aligns to an official FY 2026 category. Frontend should resolve to the official category page and surface the billable child codes.
Legacy codes
J81
Replacement codes
J81.0 — Acute pulmonary edemaJ81.1 — Chronic pulmonary edema

Common synonyms

Pulmonary edema

Frequently asked questions

Code details

CodeJ81
SystemICD10
Display namePulmonary edema
ChapterDiseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
BlockOther respiratory diseases principally affecting the interstitium

Flags

BillableNo
Valid clinical useNo

Source

SourceICD-10
Version2026-annual
Releaseannual
Year2026

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.