Name of the Condition

• Mild intermittent asthma with status asthmaticus
• Medical term: Asthma exacerbation, mild intermittent with acute severe symptoms

Summary

• Mild intermittent asthma with status asthmaticus is a respiratory condition characterized by occasional asthma symptoms that suddenly become severe and resistant to typical treatments. This escalation necessitates prompt medical intervention to prevent further complications.

Causes

• The condition can be triggered by allergens, respiratory infections, cold air, air pollutants, exercise, or emotional stress.

Risk Factors

• Risk factors include a family history of asthma or allergies, exposure to tobacco smoke, pollution, or occupational irritants, and a personal history of respiratory conditions.

Symptoms

• Symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and a sudden severe asthma attack that doesn't respond to regular treatments.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis may involve a physical exam, reviewing medical history, lung function tests like spirometry, and assessing response to bronchodilators.

Treatment Options

• Treatment options include inhaled bronchodilators, corticosteroids, oxygen therapy, and possibly hospitalization for severe cases. These treatments help open airways and reduce inflammation.

Prognosis and Follow-Up

• With prompt treatment, most people can recover from an episode without long-term effects, but regular monitoring is important to manage asthma and prevent future status asthmaticus incidents.

Complications

• Complications can include respiratory failure, hypoxia, and long-term damage to lung tissues if not adequately managed.

Lifestyle & Prevention

• Lifestyle changes such as avoiding known triggers, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, using prescribed medications properly, and having an emergency action plan can help manage asthma. Regular monitoring and communication with a healthcare provider are crucial.

When to Seek Professional Help

• Seek immediate medical help if you experience sustained shortness of breath, chest pain, bluish coloring of the lips or face, or a lack of response to quick-relief medications.

Additional Resources

• American Lung Association: lung.org
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: aafa.org

Tips for Medical Coders

• Ensure the documentation specifies "mild intermittent asthma" and "status asthmaticus" to correctly assign the ICD code J45.22.
• Watch for common errors such as miscoding it as a more severe asthma type or omitting the status asthmaticus component.