What should be done if both hypertensive heart disease and hypertensive renal disease are stated in the diagnosis?

When both hypertensive heart disease and hypertensive renal disease are present in the diagnosis, the appropriate approach is to select a code from the combination category I13. This category is specifically designed to account for the complexities and interrelation of conditions that arise from hypertension. It allows for the coding of both disorders together, reflecting the impact that one may have on the other and ensuring complete documentation of the patient's healthcare status.

Utilizing the combination code I13 ensures that both heart and renal complications related to hypertension are captured in the medical records, which is critical for appropriate treatment, data reporting, and healthcare statistics. This coding strategy helps in providing a clearer picture of the overall health conditions stemming from the underlying issue of hypertension.

In contrast, using individual categories for each condition would miss the opportunity to acknowledge the interconnectedness of these diseases under one comprehensive code. Additionally, while selecting a code from category I11 would only represent hypertensive heart disease without conveying the presence of renal complications, reporting only one condition would inaccurately reflect the severity and complexity of the patient's health situation. Therefore, utilizing the combination category is the most effective and accurate choice in this scenario.