Coughing up blood

Definition

Coughing up blood is the spitting up of blood or bloody mucus from the lungs and throat (respiratory tract).

Hemoptysis is the medical term for coughing up blood from the respiratory tract.

Alternative Names

Considerations

Coughing up blood is not the same as bleeding from the mouth, throat, or gastrointestinal tract.

Blood that comes up with a cough often looks bubbly because it is mixed with air and mucus. It is usually bright red, although it may be rust-colored. Sometimes the mucus may only contain streaks of blood.

Causes

A number of conditions, diseases, and medical tests may make you cough up blood.

Diseases and conditions may include:

• Blood clot in the lung
• Bronchiectasis
• Bronchitis
• Cancer
• Cystic fibrosis
• Goodpasture's syndrome
• Inflammation of the blood vessels in the lung (vasculitis)
• Inhaling blood into the lungs (pulmonary aspiration)
• Irritation of the throat from violent coughing
• Nosebleed that drips blood down into the lungs
• Laryngitis
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary edema
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Tuberculosis

Diagnostic tests that can make you cough up blood include:

• Bronchoscopy
• Laryngoscopy
• Lung biopsy
• Mediastinoscopy
• Spirometry
• Tonsillectomy
• Upper airway biopsy

References

Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2005:402-413.

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000:497.