ICD-10 Code M05.349 – Rheumatoid heart disease with rheumatoid arthritis of unspecified hand (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M05.349 – Rheumatoid heart disease with rheumatoid arthritis of unspecified hand
What it is
This code identifies rheumatoid arthritis affecting an unspecified hand in a patient who also has rheumatoid heart disease. It links the joint disease and the cardiac manifestation in one diagnosis code.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. You may see inflammatory hand arthritis with pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced function, plus documented rheumatoid heart involvement such as pericardial or valvular disease.
When to use this code
Use this code when the record clearly states rheumatoid heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis involving the hand, but the hand laterality is not specified. The provider should connect both conditions in the documentation. If the heart disease or hand site is not documented, check documentation before coding.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for rheumatoid arthritis without cardiac involvement, or for heart disease not documented as rheumatoid. Do not assign it when the affected hand is specified and a more precise code is available.
Coding tip
Verify that both the rheumatoid heart disease and the unspecified hand involvement are documented together before assigning M05.349.