ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J68.9 - Unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors (original) (raw)

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ICD List 2025-2026 Edition

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Unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

ICD-10-CM Code:

J68.9

ICD-10 Code for:

Unsp resp cond due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

Is Billable?

Yes - Valid for Submission

Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]

Not chronic

Code Navigator:

J68.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like J68.9 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

  1. Code Information
  2. Approximate Synonyms
  3. Clinical Classification
  4. Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries
  5. Index to Diseases and Injuries References
  7. Diagnostic Related Groups Mapping
  8. Convert to ICD-9 Code
  9. Patient Education
  10. Other Codes Used Similar Conditions
  11. Code History

The following list of clinical terms are approximate synonyms, alternative descriptions, or common phrases that might be used by patients, healthcare providers, or medical coders to describe the same condition. These synonyms and related diagnosis terms are often used when searching for an ICD-10 code, especially when the exact medical terminology is unclear. Whether you're looking for lay terms, similar diagnosis names, or common language alternatives, this list can help guide you to the correct ICD-10 classification.

Clinical Classifications group individual ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes into broader, clinically meaningful categories. These categories help simplify complex data by organizing related conditions under common clinical themes.

They are especially useful for data analysis, reporting, and clinical decision-making. Even when diagnosis codes differ, similar conditions can be grouped together based on their clinical relevance. Each category is assigned a unique CCSR code that represents a specific clinical concept, often tied to a body system or medical specialty.

CCSR Code: RSP013

Inpatient Default: Y - Yes, default inpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.

Outpatient Default: Y - Yes, default outpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

References found for this diagnosis code in the External Cause of Injuries Index:

Below are the ICD-9 codes that most closely match this ICD-10 code, based on the General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs). This ICD-10 to ICD-9 crosswalk tool is helpful for coders who need to reference legacy diagnosis codes for audits, historical claims, or approximate code comparisons.

ICD-9-CM: 506.9

Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means this ICD-10 code does not have an exact ICD-9 equivalent. The matched code is the closest available option, but it may not fully capture the original diagnosis or clinical intent.

Inhalation Injuries

Inhalation injuries are acute injuries to your respiratory system and lungs. They can happen if you breathe in toxic substances, such as smoke (from fires), chemicals, particle pollution, and gases. Inhalation injuries can also be caused by extreme heat; these are a type of thermal injuries. Over half of deaths from fires are due to inhalation injuries.

Symptoms of inhalation injuries can depend on what you breathed in. But they often include:

If you have a chronic heart or lung problem, an inhalation injury can make it worse.

To make a diagnosis, your health care provider may use a scope to look at your airways and check for damage. Other possible tests include imaging tests of the lungs, blood tests, and lung function tests.

If you have an inhalation injury, your health care provider will make sure that your airway is not blocked. Treatment is with oxygen therapy, and in some cases, medicines. Some patients need to use a ventilator to breathe. Most people get better, but some people have permanent lung or breathing problems. Smokers and people who had a severe injury are at a greater risk of having permanent problems.

You can take steps to try to prevent inhalation injuries:

[Learn More in MedlinePlus]