symptoms of lung disorders
lung and airway disorders
Coughing Up Blood
Bleeding may produce clots that block the airways and lead to further breathing problems. Therefore, coughing is important to keep the airways clear and should not be suppressed with cough suppressants (antitussive medications). Hemoptysis may be mild and may stop by itself or when the disorder causing the bleeding (such as heart failure or infection) is successfully treated. If a large clot blocks a major airway, doctors may have to remove the clot using bronchoscopy. Rarely, hemoptysis is severe or does not stop by itself. If so, a tube may need to be inserted through the mouth or nose into the windpipe or lower into the airways to help keep the airways open. If the source of bleeding is a major blood vessel, a doctor may try to close off the bleeding vessel using a procedure called bronchial artery angiography and embolization. Using x-rays for guidance, the doctor passes a catheter into the vessel and then injects a chemical, fragments of a gelatin sponge, or a wire coil to block the blood vessel and thereby stop the bleeding. Sometimes bronchoscopy or surgery may be needed to stop severe or continuing bleeding, or surgery may be needed to remove a diseased or cancerous portion of the lung. These high-risk procedures are used only as last resorts. If clotting abnormalities are contributing to the bleeding, a person may need a transfusion of plasma, clotting factors, or platelets. Tranexamic acid, a medication that can be inhaled, may be given to treat hemoptysis that does not resolve on its own or with treatment of the underlying disorder. 