ICD-10 Code K85.3 – Drug induced acute pancreatitis (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K85.3 – Drug induced acute pancreatitis
What it is
K85.3 identifies acute pancreatitis caused by a medication or other drug exposure. Use it when the record links the pancreatic inflammation directly to a drug effect.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Typical acute pancreatitis findings include upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and imaging or clinical evidence of pancreatic inflammation.
When to use this code
Use K85.3 when the provider documents acute pancreatitis as drug induced, medication related, or due to a specific therapeutic agent. Code the causal drug when documented and supported by the record. If the cause is unclear, check documentation before assigning this code.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for pancreatitis from alcohol, gallstones, trauma, or other non-drug causes. If the note only says “acute pancreatitis” without a drug cause, choose a different code.
Coding tip
Look for explicit provider linkage between the drug and pancreatitis before assigning K85.3.