Coughing up blood

Alternative Names

Home Care

Cough suppressants may help if this condition is due to throat irritation from violent coughing. However, cough suppressants may lead to airways obstruction 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.

Also look out for these signs of severe blood loss:

• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Thirst

Other symptoms:

• Blood in the urine
• Chest pain
• Fever
• Shortness of breath

When to Contact a Medical Professional

If you have 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 you also have:

• Dizziness
• Light-headedness
• Severe shortness of breath

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

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.