What is it about ?
Hemoptysis is the process of coughing up blood that comes from bleeding in the airways. It could be a barely visible bloody trickle or a massive loss of blood.
The causes are numerous (see below). Coughing up blood can be harmless, but it can also be the result of a serious illness.
It is important to differentiate between rejecting blood from the mouth or throat, or vomiting blood. In case of vomiting blood (hematemesis)This is blood that comes from the digestive tract or swallowed blood from the nasal cavity or pharynx.
Causes of coughing up blood
- A respiratory tract infection is the most common cause. It may be a bronchitis or a pneumonia.
- the lung cancer can also cause hemoptysis. The risk of developing this type of cancer strongly depends on smoking habits and age (the older the person, the greater the risk).
- Others less common causes coughing up blood are as follows:
- Dilation of the bronchi (bronchiectasis) ;
- Chronic infections such as tuberculosis ;
- Pulmonary embolism ;
- Injuries to the chest (following trauma);
- Autoimmune diseases (the immune system attacks cells in the body);
- Anti coagulants ;
- Coagulation disorders.
How to recognize it?
Pinkish to red, foamy blood is present in the expectorated mucus. There may be a few, a few small dots of blood or slightly bloody streaks. But you might also cough up large amounts of bright red blood and lumps.
In addition to coughing up blood, symptoms of the condition that causes hemoptysis may be present:
- In case of’infection, you usually have a fever;
- In the presence of a tumor, the cough often lasts for months, and a weightloss and some tired.
How is the diagnosis made?
The complaints speak for themselves. The doctor will always look for the cause of the hemoptysis. He will ask you questions and make a physical examination. In addition, a blood test and an x-ray of the heart and lungs.
To rule out a tumor or to look for other possible causes, tests are often done. additional technical examinations. It can be a CT scan or even a bronchoscopy, which allows the doctor to look inside the trachea and bronchi using a small camera.
What can you do ?
- Always take coughing up blood very seriously. In this situation, we must not stand by and do nothing.
- If you take anti coagulants, contact the doctor and ask if you can stop them (temporarily or not).
- If you cough up a lot of blood, go directly to the emergency room.
- If a person suddenly coughs up a huge amount of blood, they are at risk of choking. Put her in a stable lateral position and call the emergency services.
What can your doctor do?
Treatment depends on the cause.
- In case of’infection, you are first prescribed antibiotics.
- A new one x-ray of the lungs will be taken after treatment is complete.
- If the infection is gone and you are no longer coughing up blood, you will no longer need to have an exam.
- Usually your doctor will temporarily stop takinganti coagulants.
- If the complaints go away, you can try resuming your treatment, possibly at a lower dose.
- If necessary, the doctor will switch to another product from the same class of drugs.
- If your doctor cannot find no clear cause after the first exams, he can refer you to a specialist for further examinations.
- If you expect large amounts of blood, you will be given oxygen in the emergency room, and blood is pumped out of your airways.
Want to know more?
- The scanner, here, Where to find on this page of Cliniques St Luc UCL
- Bronchial endoscopy, here, Where to find on this page of Cliniques St Luc UCL
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