What E15 covers · when clinicians use it
ICD-10 code E15 identifies Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma in the U.S. ICD-10-CM clinical and billing record set. It sits within the Endocrine, Nutritional & Metabolic chapter (E00–E89), the section that groups related diagnoses so providers, payers, and public-health agencies report them consistently. Clinicians and medical coders apply E15 when an encounter's findings match the Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma description, attaching it to the patient record so downstream insurance claims, payer audits, quality reporting, and epidemiological surveillance all reference the same standardized diagnosis. The ICD-10-CM is maintained by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, with an updated official code set released each U.S. fiscal year — always verify E15 against the current CMS/CDC release and your payer's documentation guidance before final use. This page summarizes documentation context for E15 and is a coding reference, not clinical, diagnostic, or billing advice.
E15 refers to Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma, a group of conditions affecting the endocrine function of the pancreas outside of typical diabetes. These include severe hypoglycemia not related to diabetes and other rare pancreatic hormone imbalances such as insulinoma, glucagonoma, and other endocrine tumors.
Symptoms
- Confusion or altered mental state – Common in hypoglycemic coma
- Loss of consciousness – Severe cases of low blood sugar
- Shakiness or sweating – Early signs of hypoglycemia
- Seizures – If glucose drops too low for too long
- Abdominal pain – Seen in some pancreatic endocrine disorders
- Unexplained weight loss or flushing – Signs of insulinoma or glucagonoma
- Nausea or fatigue – From hormone dysregulation
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma includes blood glucose testing, insulin and C-peptide levels, fasting glucose challenge, imaging (MRI or CT for tumors), and hormone-specific assays (e.g., glucagon, somatostatin). Close monitoring is essential to identify functional endocrine disorders of the pancreas.
ICD10 Code Usage
ICD10 code E15 is used by endocrinologists, emergency physicians, and internists to classify hypoglycemia-related comas and pancreatic endocrine disorders not related to diabetes. This ensures accurate treatment planning, endocrine evaluation, and billing classification.
Related Codes
FAQs
Q1: What is ICD10 code E15?
A: This code documents Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma, a condition of pancreatic hormone imbalance or nondiabetic hypoglycemia.
Q2: What causes these disorders?
A: Insulin overproduction (e.g., insulinoma), hormonal tumors, critical illness, fasting, or medications can trigger these conditions.
Q3: Are they life-threatening?
A: Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma can be life-threatening without immediate treatment. Pancreatic endocrine disorders vary in severity.
Q4: How are they treated?
A: Acute glucose administration, surgical removal of hormone-secreting tumors, and medication to balance hormone levels.
Q5: Who manages these conditions?
A: Endocrinologists and sometimes surgical or critical care teams, depending on severity and cause.
Conclusion
ICD10 code E15 is vital for identifying and treating Nondiabetic hypoglycemic coma. It helps track endocrine dysfunctions beyond diabetes, enables emergency response to hypoglycemic coma, and ensures proper referral and follow-up for pancreatic hormone disorders.