Coughing up blood

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Hemoptysis; Spitting up blood; Bloody sputum

Cough suppressants may help if this condition is due to throat irritation from violent coughing. However, cough suppressants may lead airway obstruction in some cases. Always check with your doctor first.

It is very important to note how long you cough up blood. You should also keep track of the following:

• How much blood is mixed with the mucus
• Symptoms such as lightheadedness, dizziness, or thirst, which might indicate a severe amount of blood loss
• Other symptoms such as fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, and blood in the urine

If there is any unexplained coughing up of blood, call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department. This is very important if your cough produces large volumes of blood (more than a few teaspoons), or if it is accompanied by severe shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or dizziness.

In emergency cases, your doctor will give you treatments to control your condition. You will then be asked questions about your cough such as:

• Type
  • Can you see blood when you cough up something? 
  • Is there blood-streaked mucus (phlegm)?
  • Are large amounts of blood (massive hemoptysis) coughed up?
  • How many times have you coughed up blood?
• Time pattern
  • Is the cough worse at night?
  • Did it begin suddenly?
  • Has it increased recently?
  • How many weeks has the cough lasted?
  • What other symptoms do you have?

The doctor will do a complete physical exam and check your chest and lungs. Tests that may be done include:

• Chest x-ray
• Chest CT scan
• Complete blood count
• Coagulation studies such as PT or PTT
• Bronchoscopy
• Lung biopsy
• Lung scan
• Pulmonary arteriography
• Sputum culture and smear

Review Date: 02/14/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, CriticalCare & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Reviewprovided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.