The ICD-10 code for panic disorder is F41.0 (panic disorder, also called episodic paroxysmal anxiety). It covers recurrent unexpected panic attacks with persistent concern about further attacks or a maladaptive change in behavior because of them.
Quick Reference: Panic Disorder ICD-10 Codes
| Code | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F41.0 | Panic disorder (episodic paroxysmal anxiety) | Recurrent unexpected panic attacks plus persistent concern or behavior change |
| F40.01 | Agoraphobia with panic disorder | Single code when agoraphobia is present with panic |
| F41.1 | Generalized anxiety disorder | Pervasive worry, not discrete unexpected attacks |
| F41.9 | Anxiety disorder, unspecified | Temporary placeholder when the presentation is not yet specified |
The short answer: the ICD-10 code for panic disorder is F41.0. When agoraphobia is present with the panic, use F40.01 instead.
When to Use F41.0
When to use: the client has recurrent unexpected panic attacks (abrupt surges of intense fear or discomfort that peak within minutes) plus at least one of the following that has persisted for a meaningful period:
- Persistent concern or worry about additional panic attacks or their consequences
- A maladaptive change in behavior related to the attacks, such as avoidance of exercise or unfamiliar situations
The defining feature is that the attacks are unexpected: at least some occur without an obvious cue or trigger. Panic attacks that only occur in response to a specific trigger, such as a feared object or situation in a phobia, point to the underlying disorder rather than to F41.0.
Billing note: document both the recurrent unexpected attacks and the persistent concern or behavior change. F41.0 requires the concern or behavioral element in addition to the attacks themselves; recurrent attacks alone are not sufficient to support the code.
Panic Disorder vs a Panic Attack
A panic disorder diagnosis and a single panic attack are not the same thing, and only one of them is codable.
- There is no standalone "panic attack" code. A panic attack is a symptom, not a billable disorder on its own. You do not code an isolated panic attack as F41.0.
- A panic attack within another disorder is a feature, not F41.0. When a panic attack occurs in the context of another condition, for example during exposure to a phobic stimulus or within a depressive or post-traumatic presentation, it is documented as a feature of that disorder, not coded as panic disorder.
- F41.0 is reserved for the syndrome. Use F41.0 only when the full pattern of recurrent unexpected attacks plus persistent concern or behavior change is present.
Common error: coding F41.0 because a client reported a panic attack. If the attacks are cued by a specific phobic trigger, or occur only within another disorder, the correct code is the underlying disorder, and the panic attack is noted as a feature.
Panic With Agoraphobia (F40.01)
When agoraphobia is present alongside panic, ICD-10-CM uses a single combined code rather than pairing two diagnoses:
- F40.01 agoraphobia with panic disorder. Use this when the client avoids situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable and also experiences panic. You do not additionally bill F41.0 for the same presentation.
- F40.00 agoraphobia, unspecified (without panic), when agoraphobia is present but the panic pattern is not.
Billing note: if agoraphobia is present with panic, code F40.01, not F41.0. Agoraphobia with panic is captured by one code, so do not stack F40.0x and F41.0 for the same clinical picture.
Documentation
Strong panic disorder documentation should include:
Attack pattern: that the panic attacks are recurrent and unexpected, with a note on frequency and that at least some occur without an identifiable trigger.
The required second element: the persistent concern about further attacks or the specific maladaptive behavior change, since F41.0 requires this in addition to the attacks.
Differential reasoning: a brief note on why the presentation is panic disorder rather than GAD (F41.1), and confirmation that the attacks are not solely cued by a phobic trigger or confined to another disorder.
Agoraphobia screen: whether agoraphobic avoidance is present, since its presence moves the code to F40.01.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the ICD-10 code for panic disorder?
- The ICD-10-CM code for panic disorder is F41.0, also called episodic paroxysmal anxiety. It applies when a client has recurrent unexpected panic attacks together with persistent concern about further attacks or a maladaptive change in behavior because of them.
- Is there an ICD-10 code for a panic attack?
- No. There is no standalone billable code for a single panic attack. A panic attack is documented as a feature of the disorder in which it occurs, not coded on its own. When recurrent unexpected attacks meet criteria for panic disorder, you code F41.0; when an attack occurs within another disorder, you document it as a feature of that disorder rather than as F41.0.
- What is the code for panic disorder with agoraphobia?
- When agoraphobia is present alongside panic, use F40.01 (agoraphobia with panic disorder). This is a single code that captures both the agoraphobia and the accompanying panic; you do not also bill F41.0 for the same presentation.
- How is panic disorder different from GAD?
- Panic disorder (F41.0) is defined by discrete, unexpected panic attacks and persistent concern about having more of them. Generalized anxiety disorder (F41.1) is pervasive, free-floating worry across multiple domains without the discrete attack pattern. The presence of recurrent unexpected attacks with anticipatory concern points to F41.0 rather than F41.1.
- Can panic disorder and agoraphobia be coded together?
- Agoraphobia occurring with panic is captured by a single code, F40.01 (agoraphobia with panic disorder), rather than by coding F40 and F41.0 separately. Agoraphobia without panic is coded F40.00. Choose the code that reflects whether panic accompanies the agoraphobia.
Accurate panic coding comes down to a few distinctions: F41.0 for the full panic disorder syndrome, no standalone code for an isolated panic attack, and F40.01 when agoraphobia travels with the panic. Document the unexpected attacks and the persistent concern or behavior change together, and screen for agoraphobia before you finalize the code.