What should be sequenced as the principal diagnosis for a patient admitted for dehydration due to chemotherapy?

The principal diagnosis is the condition established after study to be primarily responsible for the patient's admission to the hospital. In the scenario provided, the patient is admitted due to dehydration specifically as a result of chemotherapy. As dehydration is the main reason for the admission and requires treatment, it should be coded as the principal diagnosis.

The focus in coding is to reflect the underlying cause of the patient's condition. While chemotherapy is indeed relevant to the patient's dehydration, it is not the primary reason for their hospital stay; rather, it is the contributing factor. The effects of chemotherapy might lead to dehydration, but in this case, the dehydration itself is what necessitated the hospital admission. Therefore, dehydration is rightfully identified as the principal diagnosis, as it is the condition that is being treated directly during the hospital stay.

The other options relate to other aspects of the patient's medical situation or treatment but do not serve as the primary diagnosis for the admission:

• Primary liver cancer, while possibly relevant, does not directly pertain to the reason for hospitalization for dehydration.

• IV fluids administered reflect a treatment action taken rather than a diagnosis.

• Chemotherapy effects are secondary to the dehydration and do not represent the primary diagnosis for the hospital admission.

In summary, identifying dehydration as the principal