lung and airway disorders
Coughing Up Blood
Causes of Coughing Up Blood
Although hemoptysis can be frightening, most causes turn out not to be serious. Blood-streaked sputum is common in many minor respiratory illnesses, such as upper respiratory infections (URIs) and viral bronchitis. Sometimes the cause is blood from the nose that has traveled down the throat and then is coughed up. Such blood is not considered hemoptysis. Infection is the most common cause (see table). In adults, 70 to 90% of cases are caused by Acute Bronchitis None Bronchiectasis , which is an abnormal, irreversible widening of part of the breathing tubes or airways (called bronchi) Overview of Pneumonia None In children, common causes are A lower respiratory tract infection A foreign object that has been inhaled (aspirated) Lung Cancer that starts in the lungs is an important cause in people older than 40 years who smoke. However, cancer that has spread to the lungs from elsewhere in the body rarely causes hemoptysis. Fungal infection with Other causes include a blood clot in an artery in a lung ( Pulmonary Embolism (PE) ) and, less commonly, inflammation of blood vessels ( Massive hemoptysis is the production of more than about a pint (about 600 milliliters) of blood within 24 hours. The most common causes include the following: Lung Cancer None Bronchiectasis None Some pneumonias, including Tuberculosis (TB) None Some conditions increase the risk that hemoptysis is caused by a serious disorder: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection (for Kaposi sarcoma, tuberculosis, and fungal infections) Use of medications that suppress the immune system called immunosuppressants (for tuberculosis and fungal infections) Exposure to tuberculosis A long history of smoking (for cancer) Recent bed rest or surgery, cancer, a previous occurrence of or a family history of clotting, pregnancy, use of medications that contain estrogen, and recent long-distance travel (for Pulmonary Embolism (PE) ) 