Template:ICD10 Guideline Chronic Substance Abuse

• The issue of "chronic abuse" is hard to pin down and comes down to a judgement call (specifically, the judgement of collectors and the physicians writing chart notes):
• There are actually TWO judgements required: (a) what is heavy use, and (b) what duration qualifies as chronic use
• Furthermore, and complicating the issue, is that chronic abuse is about BOTH duration and quantity.
  • Heavier use for shorter periods COULD be considered as chronic abuse.
  • e.g. even without dependence or addiction, >5 years of heavy or regular use qualifies as "chronic abuse"
  • But the actual CUTOFF for the duration that qualifies as "chronic" is not easily delineated and depends somewhat on how heavy the use is
    • So again, the bottom line for defining "chronic abuse" is a judgement call