Coughing up blood is immediately associated with consumption, or tuberculosis, and coughing up blood can indeed be a sign of such a major disease. Infections, cancer, and vascular or lung problems can all cause coughing up blood. Generally, patients who cough up blood need to undergo various tests to confirm the diagnosis after coughing up blood, except for coughing up blood due to bronchitis. There are many different causes that may lead to coughing up blood, including.
1. Bronchitis (acute and chronic) is the most common cause of coughing up blood. However, coughing up blood due to bronchitis is rarely life-threatening
2.Dilated bronchial tubes
3.Lung cancer or benign lung tumor
4.Use of blood thinners (with anticoagulant effect)
5.Pneumonia
6.Pulmonary embolism
7, congestive heart failure, especially congestive heart failure due to mitral stenosis
8, pulmonary tuberculosis
9, inflammatory or autoimmune diseases (lupus erythematosus, Wegener’s granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, allergic granulomatous vasculitis, etc.)
10, pulmonary arteriovenous malformation
11, the use of strong cocaine
12, trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents, etc.
13, Duchenne disease
In addition to problems with the lungs, bleeding outside the lungs or airways may also lead to coughing up blood. For example, when nosebleeds or stomach bleeding is severe, blood may flow into the trachea. The blood that flows into the trachea can be coughed up, resulting in a coughing up of blood.
There are also many symptoms of coughing up blood that have an unknown cause. Most people who develop coughing up blood for unknown reasons usually stop coughing up blood after 6 months.
What tests may be done?
Coughing up blood can be caused by many things, from lung to whistle to other organ lesions. Therefore, to figure out the cause, the patient may need to have multiple tests. Tests are done primarily to determine the frequency of bleeding, to assess the risk of any whistling problems, and to identify the cause of coughing up blood. These tests include.
1. Physical examination and history taking: By talking to the patient and giving him or her an examination, the doctor can gather clues to help confirm the cause of the disease.
2, Chest X-ray: This test allows the doctor to find out if the patient’s lungs have masses, fluid in the lungs, congestion, or are completely normal.
3.Computed tomography (CT scan): With detailed images of the chest structures, a CT scan can reveal certain causes of coughing up blood.
4.Bronchoscopy method: The doctor extends an endoscope through the patient’s mouth and nose into the airway. Through the bronchoscopy method, it is possible for the doctor to check the cause of the coughing up blood.
5.Complete cell count (CBC): A test that measures the number of white and red blood cells in the blood, as well as the number of platelets (a type of cell that promotes blood clotting).
6.Urine analysis: Certain causes of coughing up blood can be detected by a simple urine test.
7.Blood chemistry test: This test detects electrolytes and kidney function, and certain causes of coughing up blood can also lead to abnormal electrolytes and kidney function.
8.Coagulation test: The coagulation test examines changes in the coagulation ability of the blood, and changes in the coagulation ability of the blood may also lead to bleeding and coughing up blood.
9.Arterial blood gas analysis: Arterial blood gas analysis examines the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The amount of oxygen in the blood is usually low in patients who present with symptoms of coughing up blood.
10.Pulse oximetry: The amount of oxygen in the blood is checked.
Treating the symptoms as well as the root cause
For patients who cough up blood, the main goal of treatment is to stop the bleeding, which is the treatment of the symptoms; it is also necessary to treat the underlying cause of coughing up blood, which is the treatment of the root cause. The methods of treating coughing up blood include
1. Bronchial artery embolization: The doctor inserts a catheter from the leg into the artery that supplies blood to the lungs. The injected contrast agent allows the doctor to look at the patient’s artery on a monitor to identify the bleeding point. The doctor then uses a metal ring or other material to plug the artery. The bleeding usually stops, and other arteries replace the blood supply of the blocked artery.
2. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy: A fiberoptic bronchoscope is a tool placed at the end of an endoscope that can be used to treat certain causes of coughing up blood. For example, placing an inflated balloon in the airway may help to stop the bleeding.
3. Surgery: If the coughing up of blood is severe and life-threatening, surgery may be needed to remove the lung (pneumonectomy).
In addition to stopping the bleeding, treatment will also target the underlying cause of the coughing up blood. Therefore other treatment options include.
1. treating pneumonia or tuberculosis with antibiotics
2. chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for lung cancer
3. Steroids to treat inflammatory diseases
Some patients with coughing up blood may need blood transfusions or other medications to stop the blood loss because they are taking certain medications that make their blood extremely thin.
What kind of coughing up blood requires immediate hospitalization?
The most common cause of coughing up blood is acute bronchitis, in which case the symptoms will get better even if you do not receive treatment. If the amount of blood in the sputum coughed up by a person with bronchitis is small and the coughing up of blood does not last more than a week, it is fine to watch the situation carefully and wait for the symptoms to improve.
However, coughing up blood can also be a sign of a major illness. Immediate medical attention should be sought if the following symptoms occur.
1. Coughing up blood in the sputum for more than a week, and it is getting worse or recurring
2. Chest pain
3. Weight loss
4. night sweats
5. Fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius)
6. Shortness of breath even with low activity level
Patients who need treatment for coughing up blood are usually asked to stay in the hospital until the cause is determined and it is certain that no major bleeding will occur.