A patient is admitted for workup of syncope. After study, complete heart block is identified and treated with pacing during the stay. Which principal-diagnosis selection is most appropriate?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Syncope was the smoke alarm; complete heart block was the fire they found. Once the cause is nailed down after study, that etiology—not the leftover symptom—usually takes the principal seat.
Full Explanation
When a definitive diagnosis is established after study as the condition that occasioned admission, that condition is typically selected as principal rather than the presenting symptom alone. Syncope may remain relevant historically, but confirmed complete heart block requiring treatment represents the etiology after study. Procedure coding for pacing is separate from selecting the appropriate principal diagnosis.