• Document the specific type of encephalopathy
• Encephalopathy is the generalized alteration in brain function due to an underlying cause EXCEPT trauma. Common etiologies include:
  • Toxins: Chemotherapy, Steroids, or Transplant complication
  • Metabolic: Uremic, Hyper- or hyponatremic
  • Toxic: Metabolic
  • Septic: Document the infectious source
  • Hypoxic: Secondary to circulatory arrest or significant hypoxic respiratory event
• Hepatic encephalopathy codes to Hepatic failure in ICD-10. If your patient with Hepatic Encephalopathy does not have Hepatic failure, please clearly state in your documentation.

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