List of Comorbidities - Please Add!

[Band_Groupie 3]

I'm a Newbie and just starting into this (I apologize now, if there is a list on this site, but I couldn't find it). My insurance is Highmark PPO Blue (BC/BS) of PA. I have a low BMI (36/37) so I'm learning that I need to document as many comorbidities as I have with my PCP -eg. my insurance needs 35-40 BMI "with comorbidities (eg., hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, dyslipidemis, diabetes mellitus type II, sleep apnea" (note- comorbiditieS, plural). While at an initial information seminar at the hospital I was surprised to see Asthma (I developed adult onset Asthma a few years ago) on their list of minor comorbidities during the slide show as obesity related (still don't know why as I didn't get a chance to ask, but now I know to add this in my documentation). I thought I'd start a list of what everyone's Dr's. have considered worth documenting to insurance as a comorbidity, then I can discuss the ones I have with my Dr. These are the ones I've found so far (no I don't have all these). Please add others you know of...Thanks!

COMORBIDITIES

- I've read these are the Major 4 insurance is looking for:

1. Hypertension- High Blood Pressure (Anyone know the threshold numbers for this? Do you have to be on meds?)

2. Diabetes Mellitus Type II-metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to produce enough, or to properly use, insulin (Do you need to be on meds.?)

3. Sleep Apnea- Obstructive, Pickwickian syndrome (I've heard some ins. need certain numbers on this as well).

4. Cholesterol: Hypercholesterolemia-High Cholesterol (What are the threshold numbers?), Dyslipidemia- abnormal concentrations of lipids or lipoproteins (eg. high total chol. or high levels of triglycerides)

- Others/sometimes called "Minor"?:

5. Metabolic Syndrome: Abdominal Obesity (high waist circumference), High Serum Triglycerides and High HDL Cholesterol, High blood glucose levels, High blood Pressure (combination of 3 of the 4 above)

6. Respiratory: Asthma and Respiratory Disease, or Exertional Dyspnea- Shortness of Breath with minor exertion

7. Cardiovascular: Heart Disease, Cardiomyopathy, Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or Venous stasis disease - faulty veins that allow blood to collect in the lower legs (swelling), Venous Thromboembolic Disease

8. Pseudotumor cerebri - increased pressure in the brain which causes chronic headaches and eye problems (specific disorder mainly in obese women)

9. Liver Disease, Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis - fatty inflammation of the liver that is not caused by alcohol damage,

10. Gall Bladder disease

11. Gastroesophageal reflux disease- GERD- a digestive disorder that is caused by gastric acid flowing from the stomach into the esophagus, or acid reflux

12. Incontinence: Stress urinary incontinence- involuntary leakage of urine caused by increased abdominal pressure from excessive body fat

13. Spine: Degenerative disc (spine) disease- wearing down of discs in the spine

14. Joints: Osteoarthritis or Weight-related arthropathies (joint diseases) which impair physical activity, degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint

15. Depression or Obesity-related psychosocial stress

16. Skin: Intertriginous soft tissue infections - infections in excess folds of skin that are caused by obesity, rashes, sores

17. Impaired Activities: Significant impairment in activities of daily living and work (list normal activities you can't do)

18. Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility), Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

19. Cancer: Some are related to obesity eg. endometrial, breast and colon

Edited November 8, 2008 by Band_Groupie
Edited into categories and added some from members