J81.0 — Acute pulmonary edema
J81.0

What this code means
Acute pulmonary oedema is a sudden build-up of fluid in the lungs, usually from heart failure, causing severe breathlessness.
Also called: acute pulmonary edema, flash pulmonary edema.
When this code is used
Used for acute pulmonary oedema.
Where it sits in ICD-10-CM
Code J81.0 belongs to Chapter 10: Diseases of the respiratory system, which covers codes J00–J99 in the FY2027 ICD-10-CM tabular list. The official description above is copied verbatim from the CDC/NCHS FY2027 code file.
Related symptoms
Related anatomy
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Frequently asked questions
What is ICD-10-CM code J81.0?
J81.0 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for “Acute pulmonary edema”. Acute pulmonary oedema is a sudden build-up of fluid in the lungs, usually from heart failure, causing severe breathlessness.
When is code J81.0 used?
Used for acute pulmonary oedema. It belongs to Chapter 10 of ICD-10-CM (Diseases of the respiratory system).
This guide explains ICD-10-CM codes in plain language for patients, students and other readers. It is educational information only — not coding, billing or medical advice. The code recorded for any real encounter is assigned from the full clinical documentation by the treating team and qualified coders, and only they can decide which code fits a specific case.