R03.0

Elevated blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis of hypertension

FY2027Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified/R00–R09 Symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems

BillableComplete code, valid to report

Excludes2

R03.0 (also written R030) is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for elevated blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis of hypertension. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. It is one of the 2 codes in category R03 (Abnormal blood-pressure reading, without diagnosis). The Alphabetic Index lists it under 10 entries. Its coding notes include 4 Excludes2 entries.

Guidelines tips

From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.

R03.0 is for an elevated reading without a diagnosis of hypertension, unless the patient has an established diagnosis of hypertension.

Guidelines I.C.9.a.7Transient or elevated blood pressureRead the official text

Symptom and sign codes are acceptable when no definitive diagnosis has been established. They are not added for signs that are routinely associated with a diagnosis.

Guidelines I.C.18.a; I.C.18.bSymptom and sign codesRead the official text

Excludes2

Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.

Also from chapter/block level (4 notes)

Inherited from Chapter 18 Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified

abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Notes

This code

This category is to be used to record an episode of elevated blood pressure in a patient in whom no formal diagnosis of hypertension has been made, or as an isolated incidental finding.

Also from chapter/block level (9 notes)

Inherited from Chapter 18 Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified

This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
- (a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
- (b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
- (c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
- (d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
- (e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
- (f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.

Alphabetic Index terms

Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 10 entries