Health Care and Medical Information – Freaksofcocks.info

Haemoptysis should always be taken seriously and patients should be placed under close observation and investigated. Only a very careful history can differentiate haemoptysis from haematemesis, oropharyngeal bleeding, or a posterior epistaxis, and sometimes it needs to be witnessed to be sure. Patients with haemoptysis will continue to expectorate blood for 24 h after the acute event.
Severe haemoptysis is an emergency — maintain a clear airway, as patients die of aspiration rather than exsanguination.
Common causes of haemoptysis
TB, bronchiectasis, mitral stenosis, carcinoma of the bronchus, acute pneumonia, pulmonary embolism (with infarction), acute bronchitis.
Other causes of haemoptysis
•    Infections: lung abscess, parasitic disease (e.g. paragonimiasis), fungal disease (e.g. aspergillosis), pleuro-pulmonary amoebiasis, leptospirosis.
•    Trauma: lung contusions, foreign body aspiration, post endotracheal intubation or following aggressive endotracheal suctioning.
•    Diffuse pulmonary parenchymal disease: Goodpastures syndrome, Wegeners granulomatosis, systemic vasculitides.
•    Cardiovascular disease: pulmonary oedema, pulmonary hypertension, aortic aneurysm.
•    Bleeding tendency: sepsis, DIC, snake bite, haemorrhagic fevers.

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