Providers often use the terms hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia interchangeably. Technically, hyperlipidemia is a high or elevated lipid/fat level in the blood. High blood cholesterol is a lipid disorder. As a result, when hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia are both documented in the record, only assign code E78.00 (Pure hypercholesterolemia) per Coding Clinic, Second Quarter 2022.  On the other hand, when ‘mixed hyperlipidemia’ and ‘hypercholesterolemia’ are both documented, assign code E78.2 (Mixed hyperlipidemia).  In this example, hypercholesterolemia is included in the E78.2 code.