Coughing up blood: Part 2

Individuals who develop heart failure often develop episodes of hemoptysis. The coughing discontinues when the heart failure is treated.

In some rare patients with a blood clot in the lung will have hemoptysis. The hemoptysis is mild and usually resolves with time

Occasionally severe blunt or penetrating trauma to the chest can result in hemoptysis. In such a scenario, the individual is admitted and thoroughly worked up to ensure that no critical structure is damaged.

In very rare instances, some individuals who sniff cocaine or heroin also develop episodes of hemoptysis

The most feared and serious cause of hemoptysis is lung cancer. There are some lung cancers that grow centrally and these cancers can erode into major blood vessels and present with alarming hemorrhage. Sometimes, coughing up of blood may be the first sign of a presence of a lung cancer

Irrespective of the amount of hemoptysis, one needs to be seen by a physician. Some of the standard imaging studies in the work up of hemoptysis include: