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 to airway blockages in some cases. Always check with your doctor before using them.

It is very important to note how long you cough up blood, and how much blood is mixed with the mucus. Contact your doctor any time you cough up blood, even if you do not have any other symptoms.

Get medical help right away if you cough up blood and have:

• A cough that produces more than a few teaspoons of blood
• Blood in your urine or stools
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Light-headedness
• Severe shortness of breath

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In an emergency case, your doctor will give you treatments to control your condition. The doctor will then ask you questions about your cough, such as:

• Type
  • Are you coughing up large amounts of blood (massive hemoptysis)?
  • Can you see blood when you cough up something?
  • How many times have you coughed up blood?
  • Is there blood-streaked mucus (phlegm)?

• Time pattern
  • Did it begin suddenly?
  • Has it increased recently?
  • For how many weeks has the cough lasted?
  • Is the cough worse at night?
  • 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:

• Bronchoscopy , a test to view the airways
• Chest CT scan
• Chest x-ray
• Complete blood count
• Lung biopsy
• Lung scan
• Pulmonary arteriography
• Sputum culture and smear
• Test to see if the blood clots normally, such as PT or PTT

Review Date: 05/01/2011
Reviewed By: Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).