R06.02 Shortness of breath

The ICD-10-CM code for Shortness of breath is R06.02 (FY2026). It is a billable, claim-ready diagnosis code.

Classification

Chapter

18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)

Section

R00-R09: Symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems (R00-R09)

Category R06

20 codes (17 billable)

FY2026 Status

Stable since FY2024

Also Known As

ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index entries that lead to R06.02:

• Breath › shortness
• Short, shortening, shortness › breath
• Dyspnea (nocturnal) (paroxysmal) › shortness of breath
• Distress › respiratory (adult) (child) › shortness of breath

U.S. Hospital Utilization

• An estimated 91,295 U.S. inpatient stays in 2023 included R06.02 among the documented diagnoses.
• 3,845 stays listed it as the principal diagnosis.

Source: National Inpatient Sample (NIS), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2016–2023. National survey-weighted estimates.

Official Coding Guidelines

Signs/symptoms w/o definitive COVID-19: symptom codes (+Z20.822)

(g) Signs and symptoms without definitive diagnosis of COVID- 19 For patients presenting with any signs/symptoms associated with COVID-19 (such as fever, etc.) but a definitive diagnosis has not been established, assign the appropriate code(s) for each of the presenting signs and symptoms such as: • R05.1, Acute cough, or R05.9, Cough, unspecified • R06.02 Shortness of breath • R50.9 Fever, unspecified If a patient with signs/symptoms associated with COVID-19 also has an actual or suspected contact with or exposure to COVID-19, assign Z20.822, Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19, as an additional code.

Repeated falls vs history of falling

d. Repeated falls Code R29.6, Repeated falls, is for use for encounters when a patient has recently fallen and the reason for the fall is being investigated. Code Z91.81, History of falling, is for use when a patient has fallen in the past and is at risk for future falls. When appropriate, both codes R29.6 and Z91.81 may be assigned together.

Source: CMS — ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY2026

References

• CMS — ICD-10-CM Official Code Set and Guidelines, FY2026
• CDC/NCHS — ICD-10-CM Files and Browser Tool
• AHRQ — HCUP National Inpatient Sample, Frequencies by Diagnosis Code (2016–2023)