ICD Codes - No More Chronic Renal Failure. Is CHF next?

Chronic Renal Failure is no more. The new ICD-9 code for the same condition will be chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The nonspecific term chronic renal failure (CRF) has been used to mean any degree of kidney failure including end stage renal disease (ESRD). Another nonspecific term is chronic renal insufficiency (CRI).

Based on the guidelines developed by the National Kidney Foundation, the new codes is 585, chronic kidney disease.

One starts to wonder if CHF is next. All these "failure" terms are uncertain because in reality we are talking about stages of a chronic disease that may span years and "failure" sounds so imminent. Also, we all know that EF of 40% and 10% are not the same.

(via KidneyNotes.blogspot)

References:
What Is "Heart Failure"? BMJ Proposes a New Name For This Classic Disease
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