Z79

Z79 is a designation in the ICD-10-CM coding system used to document long-term current drug therapy in medical records. It serves as a non-diagnostic code that indicates a patient requires ongoing pharmacologic treatment as part of their health management. The category helps clinicians and coders capture the ongoing nature of therapy alongside other diagnoses, rather than implying a specific disease.

The primary category Z79 covers general long-term therapy, while its subcodes provide more detail about the context or class of therapy. In practice, Z79 codes are attached to encounters where chronic drug therapy is a central element of care, such as routine follow-ups, hospital visits, or medication-management appointments. They are used to support clinical documentation, billing, and epidemiologic tracking of long-term pharmacotherapy.

Coding with Z79 is typically done in conjunction with other ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes that describe the patient’s underlying conditions. The codes do not specify the exact drug name, dosage, or regimen; those details are commonly recorded in the patient’s medication lists or pharmacy records. As a category of Z codes (factors influencing health status and access to health services), Z79 may be updated in ICD-10-CM revisions. Accurate coding relies on clear documentation of the indication for chronic therapy and the relevant drug class or therapy context.