Respiratory Center Depression

katysuegood@gmail.comkatysuegood@gmail.com
in Clinical & Coding
I have never heard Respiratory Center Depression mentioned in the CDI-world as a potential way to capture those patients that are on the vent due to drug/alcohol OD and such. But I am wondering if this is an appropriate dx because I recently saw it used in documentation and a coder asked me about it? I am thinking about those patients that come in very sedate. They are bradypenic and may or may not be hypoxic/hypercarbic. These patients may not meet criteria as 'resp failure' but is this clinically 'resp center depression' or is this a crazy reach. I have tried to find a clinical definition of respiratory center depression and I am seeing it referenced a lot in regards to opioid/benzos/ETOH but I am not really seeing it defined explicitly. Is it possible to have respiratory center depression without having respiratory failure?

Thanks!

Katy Good, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCS
Clinical Documentation Program Coordinator
Flagstaff Medical Center
Kathryn.Good@nahealth.com
Cell: 928.814.9404

Comments

  • katysuegood@gmail.comkatysuegood@gmail.com
    edited May 2016
    Thanks Dr. Gold. I will pass this information on!

    Katy Good, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCS
    Clinical Documentation Program Coordinator
    Flagstaff Medical Center
    Kathryn.Good@nahealth.com
    Cell: 928.814.9404



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