Hemoptysis is a serious health condition caused due to infections, cancer and also due to problems in lungs or vessels. Hemoptysis is a severe condition which needs to be treated immediately unless it is caused due to bronchitis. Hemoptysis caused due to bronchitis is not life threatening.
Causes
There are several factors which lead to hemoptysis, they are
- Bronchitis (both acute and long term bronchitis)
- Bronchiectasis
- Pneumonia
- Lung cancer or tumors in lungs
- Tuberculosis
- Anticoagulation
- Pulmonary embolism
- Heart failure especially congestive heart failure
- Auto immune diseases
- Pulmonary AVMs (arteriovenous malformations)
- Trauma due to accidents or wounds due to gun shot
- Crack cocaine
- Dieulafoy’s disease
Hemoptysis is also caused due to hemorrhage outside the lungs and airways. Severe vomiting from the stomach can lead to body fluids draining into trachea. These body fluids when coughed up raises to hemoptysis.
In most of the people hemoptysis is caused without any underlying cause and goes away on its own.
Hemoptysis diagnosis
Diagnosis of hemoptysis mainly focuses on verifying the rate of hemorrhage and any further risk attached to breathing. During diagnosis the causes of hemoptysis are detected. Different tests for hemoptysis include
Past history and physical examination records- during the physical examination professionals ask few questions which help in knowing the underlying cause of the problem.
X-Ray- chest X-Ray helps to show the abnormalities if any in chest area like mass in chest, fluid and congestion in lungs.
CT scan- computed tomography provides detailed and clear images of different structures in chest. These results help to identify the underlying causes of hemoptysis.
Bronchoscopy- a professional conducts endoscopy through nose and mouth into the airways to know the exact cause of the hemoptysis.
CBC- this test helps to know about the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes and platelet count.