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Blood in sputum when coughing

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 17.10.2021
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Hemoptysis, manifested by the appearance in the coughing of mucus of blood veins, indicates that it indicates a rather serious violations associated with the perforation of certain anatomical structures. Therefore, blood in the sputum when coughing - this is the impetus to a mandatory visit to the profile specialist. Ignoring this signal, you can bring your health to more destructive, sometimes irreversible consequences.

trusted-source[1], [2], [3], [4]

Causes of blood in sputum when coughing

Any deviation from the norm is a signal for a person to look more closely at his body. Blood in sputum when coughing, in the medical perspective, is the allocation of any, even a minimal amount, of both light arterial and dark venous blood. Already the color shade of blood gives a hint to the qualified doctor, in which direction to look for the focus of pathology. The causes of the appearance of blood in the sputum during a cough can be quite diverse:

  • To provoke the release of erythrocytes from the lungs or bronchi is capable of damage to small blood vessels due to a sharp increase in blood pressure, which can happen at the time of stress at a cough.
  • Blood in sputum during coughing can occur with bronchoectatic disease. About 60 -70% of such symptoms are provoked by these diseases.
  • Dark - bard shade can indicate tuberculosis. For a long time in a patient with this pathology, a history of small amounts of foamy sputum smeared with bloody inclusions may be observed. Attacks usually increase in the morning. Concomitant symptomatology usually is increased work of sweat glands, a general decrease in the tone of the whole body and a feeling of chill.
  • A similar picture when coughing is obtained and as a result of an oncologic disease affecting the respiratory system. For a long time this disease does not manifest itself in any way and it can be detected only accidentally during the next preventive examination, or in connection with the examination of another pathology. Over time, minor bouts of coughing begin to appear, which eventually become more intense. In prominent sputum, clots and blood veins begin to appear through time. The patient's condition gradually deteriorate, especially in the mornings. Sometimes it is very difficult to clear your throat, which does not give you an appetite and leads to a decrease in the patient's weight. In the chest area there is an unpleasant burning sensation.
  • The cause of the appearance of blood in the sputum during a cough can be an acute form of pneumonia, as well as abscesses in the lung tissues. Symptoms of these pathologies can be brown sputum (a sign of the presence of a purulent process) with fresh, bright scarlet veins, as well as "puffy" pain, high body temperature, general weakness in the chest. All this complex of symptoms indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the pulmonary system. Due to the oppression of the defenses of the patient's body, another, more severe complication, an abscess of the lung, may begin to develop against the background of inflammation. At this stage of the disease, the cavities of the lung tissue, which before taking part in the respiratory process, begin to be filled with thick and viscous sputum, as well as pus. In the abscess stage, there is a sharp increase in the temperature characteristics of the patient's body (the figures on the thermometer can reach up to 40 ° C and higher). Pain in the chest becomes worse. At attacks there is an output of pus and brownish - greenish sputum, burdened with an unpleasant putrefactive smell. The number of blood impregnations increases. At night, mucus and pus stagnate in the bronchi and lungs, so in the morning, after sleep, the patient needs to clear his throat, get rid of stagnant products. The cough is very strong, "turning inside out", but after the sputum is broken, there comes a temporary relief, and the indicators on the thermometer may decrease.
  • Suddenly, a sharp pain in the chest may indicate an internal pulmonary hemorrhage. Problems with breathing, blood in sputum when coughing, manifested in large volumes. If such symptoms occur, urgent hospitalization of the affected person is necessary.
  • Provoke a hemoptysis is capable of bronchitis. In acute or chronic form of the disease, the patient suffers from frequent and intense spasmodic seizures that cause pain symptoms, the release of large amounts of viscous mucus, sometimes with blood veins. Mostly, coughing is observed in the morning.
  • Minor blood thinning can provoke and some ENT - diseases: tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis.
  • In the process of decompensation of cardiovascular pathologies, the patient develops pulmonary hypertension and begins to progress. The patient is faced with a problem of lack of air in the lungs, there is a desire to breathe deeply, there is shortness of breath, there are stagnant phenomena in the lungs and blood in sputum when coughing.
  • Provoke bleeding is capable of blocking the lumen of the pulmonary artery. Such a manifestation may be a consequence of surgical intervention, as well as this pathology patients suffering from venous disease are susceptible. Such a picture of the disease in medical circles is denoted by the term embolism of the pulmonary artery. Concomitant symptomatology, in addition to blood secretions, is shortness of breath and severe acute pain behind the sternum.
  • Hemoptysis can cause other diseases, for example, echinococcosis of the lung (helminthiasis from the group of cestodoses, characterized by the formation of parasitic cysts in the liver, lungs or other organs and tissues), hemorrhagic purpura (small-capillary hemorrhages into the skin, under the skin or in the mucous membranes).
  • Such pathological disorders can also be provoked by such pathological abnormalities as pulmonary vasculitis (impaired respiratory function), as well as idiopathic hemosiderosis of the lung (repeated haemorrhage into alveoli with a wave-like recurrent course).
  • The cause of the appearance of blood in the sputum during coughing may be a trauma or a fracture of the ribs.
  • The appearance of blood secretions may be a consequence of a hereditary pathology, such as respiratory cystic fibrosis, caused by irregularities in the normal functioning of the glands. Such a failure provokes prolonged and frequent inflammatory and catarrhal diseases.
  • Differentiate blood during vomiting and is capable of ulcerative manifestations, varicose veins or perforation of some organs of the digestive system: the esophagus, duodenum, stomach. In one of these disorders, there is abundant bleeding with clots of dark - bard shade.
  • To provoke a bleeding can and the foreign object got in respiratory ways.

When such symptoms occur, follow, without delay, to seek advice and assistance from a certified specialist, and in case of intensive bleeding, call an ambulance. Hemoptysis is serious, and, often, very dangerous for human health. Delay in diagnosis and therapy, in some cases, can cost the patient even life!

trusted-source[5], [6]

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Diagnosis of blood in sputum when coughing

Before starting a comprehensive examination, on the basis of patient complaints and visual examination, it is necessary to determine the localization of the site of bleeding - this will shorten the time of setting the correct diagnosis, and, therefore, will allow faster initiation of therapy. The loss of even a small amount of time, in some cases, can cost the patient a life. But there are cases when it is very difficult to determine the place of bleeding.

Diagnosis of blood in sputum during coughing is carried out using the following techniques.

  • The first thing that is prescribed is a laboratory study of the discharged sputum. This analysis allows confirming or refuting the diagnoses associated with the infection of the organism with pathogenic microorganisms, for example, a tubercle bacillus or staphylococci. It also shows the presence of an internal inflammatory process in the body.
  • Clinical blood tests are mandatory. By the content of white blood cells in the serum and the level of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), an experienced specialist can judge the nature of the course of inflammation. Already at this stage it is possible to narrow the diagnosis to pneumonia, pulmonary abscess, and also an experienced pulmonologist can say that it is a bronchitis located in a chronic or acute phase.
  • To diagnose cystic fibrosis (chlorine exchange failure), an analysis of the secretions of sweat glands is carried out. These changes are reflected in the chemical composition of sweat.
  • There is also a bronchoscopy, which allows to examine the lumens in the bronchial ducts. An assessment is made of the condition of the duct walls, the uniformity of the diameter of the cross-section (exclusion or confirmation of blocking the lumen). This technique allows you to diagnose bronchiectasis and lung cancer.
  • An informative method of examination with suspicion of one of the diseases of the respiratory system is radiography (weaker - fluorography). With the help of X-rays, a picture is taken, on which, due to blackouts, it is possible to recognize pneumonia, the presence of a tumor, an embolism, or an abscess.
  • The blood is checked for coagulability without fail, a coagulogram is performed for this.
  • One of the most informative methods to date is computed tomography. This study provides an opportunity to get a complete picture of the changes that have affected the area of interest of the doctor. With the help of it, an abscess, a malignant tumor, a tuberculosis, a bronchoectatic disease is diagnosed.
  • If there is a suspicion of cardiac dysfunction, the electrocardiogram should go and carry out echocardiography (an ultrasound method that allows to get a picture of functional and morphological disorders in the heart muscles, anatomical structure and valvular heart apparatus).
  • If there is a suspicion of bleeding, the focus of which is localized in the gastrointestinal tract, fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy (FEGDS) is mandatory.
  • It is not superfluous to make a blood test for biochemistry.
  • The Mantoux test.

Only after obtaining a complete picture of the patient's health status, having determined the localization of the source of bleeding and the disease provoking it, one can speak of a full-fledged treatment.

Predetermine the disease is possible and the color of the outgoing sputum. But it should be borne in mind that its color may change and against the background of some foods, such as red wine, blueberries, beetroot or coffee beans, which are fed.

  • With pneumonia, the hue of discharge is usually from yellowish to greenish yellow.
  • In the case of asthma, sputum, having a high viscosity, departs heavily and has a transparent appearance.
  • In the case of progressive pulmonary edema foamy discharge with blood veins is observed.
  • Croupous pneumonia can be diagnosed by rusty discharge.
  • At a bronchitis and an infectious flu of allocation purulent, greenish - yellow shade, often with blood veins.
  • With bronchoectatic disease and pulmonary abscess, sputum with a greenish tinge can be observed.
  • Lung abscess is differentiated by sputum brownish-yellow color.
  • A characteristic feature of the bronchogenic form of the malignant tumor of pulmonary localization is the discharge with blood fibers.
  • In the case of a pulmonary infarction, bright red discharge is observed.
  • If the lungs are affected by a fungus, we can state a white sputum, which is released when coughing flakes.

trusted-source[7], [8], [9]

Treatment of blood in phlegm after coughing

Before you start treatment, you need to decide on a diagnosis. Otherwise, the wrong therapy can not only not help, but exacerbate the situation, while the precious time will be lost irretrievably. The treatment of blood in sputum during coughing is caused by the disease that causes it, it is pointless to treat symptomatology in this case.

If tuberculosis is diagnosed, then anti-tuberculosis therapy is prescribed. Advantageously, combined forms are used, including several co-operating preparations. The treatment process begins with the appointment of four different preparations of the first echelon. It can be isoniazid, streptomycin, pyrazinamide, rifampicin, or ethambutol.

Streptomycin is injected into the patient's intramuscular system. Adults receive a single dose of 0.5 to 1 g at one time. Within a day, the patient can receive no more than 2 g of the drug. If the patient's body does not tolerate the drug, or its body weight is less than 50 kg, or the patient's age is more than 60 years, the amount of drug administered per day is 0.75 g divided into two doses.

To small patients, whose age did not reach three months - the daily amount of the drug is calculated as 10 mg per kilogram of the weight of the newborn. To children from three to six months, the daily amount of the medicine is calculated as 15 mg per kilogram of weight of the young. Children from six months to two years, the daily dose is 20 mg per kilogram of the child's weight. If the child is not yet 13 years old and for adolescents, the daily dose is 15 to 20 mg per kilogram of the weight of the small patient, but it should not exceed a figure of 0.5 g per day (children under 13) and 1 g (adolescents).

With tuberculosis, the drug is injected into the patient's body once a day, with poor tolerance is divided into two methods. Duration of the drug course from three months onwards. The duration of therapy is determined by the attending physician, focusing on the patient's state of health.

Contraindicated streptomycin for individual intolerance of the drug and its components, severe form of chronic kidney dysfunction, burdened with uremia and azotemia, with damage to the nerves of craniocerebral localization, as well as in the case of pregnancy. With special caution should be appointed if the patient has a history of myasthenia gravis, Parkinson's disease, a tendency to bleeding, cardiac dysfunction, botulism, cerebral circulation disorder and some other pathologies.

If the therapy of first-line drugs is ineffective or the patient has high intolerance to first-line drugs, then treatment is corrected by the abolition of the first anti-tuberculosis drugs and the appointment of second-line drugs. These include rifabutin, ethionamide, paraaminosalicylic acid, protionamide, ofloxacin, kanamycin, cycloserine, thioacetazone, capreomycin and ciprofloxacin.

The active substance ethionamide (aethionamidum) is assigned to enter the interior. For an adult patient, the average daily dosage is 500 to 1000 mg divided into two to three doses, the amount of medication administered to small patients is calculated as 20 or 40 mg per kilogram of patient weight divided into two doses (administered in the morning and at bedtime).

It is not recommended to take ethionamide for admission if a history of the patient has a severe form of liver disability and in the case of pregnancy.

Treatment with pneumonia and bronchitis can not do without the connection of antibiotics. To the first line of medicines medics include amoxicillin, ceftazidime, penicillin, cefoperazone and cefepime.

Amoxicillin (Amoxycillinum) is for oral administration. The quantitative component is selected strictly individually depending on the pathogen, the severity of the pathology, the consistency of kidney function, the age of the patient and his body weight.

Patients older than ten years and adults are prescribed 0.5 g three times a day, with a severe degree of the disease, the dose of the drug administered can be brought up to 1.0 g three times a day, if necessary. Children who have not yet reached the age of two, the drug is administered in the form of a suspension at a rate of 20 mg per kilogram of body weight of the baby, divided into three inputs (this corresponds to a quarter of a teaspoon). At the age of two to five - 0.125 g (equivalent to half a teaspoon), spaced three times. From five to ten - 0.25 g (one teaspoonful), divided into three inputs.

The suspension is prepared independently, a clean pre-boiled and cooled to room temperature water in an amount of 100 ml is introduced into the dry preparation. Shake well before use.

The drug is contraindicated for use in the case of infectious mononucleosis, with increased intolerance to the body of the patient's constituent components of amoxicillin, as well as during pregnancy.

If the patient's body shows a high intolerance of first-line drugs, an allergic reaction to the drug or this therapy is ineffective, the treating doctor changes tactics, replacing the first drugs with second-line drugs. They include: ticarcillin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and piperacillin.

Ciprofloxacin (Ciprofloxacinum) should be taken on an empty stomach. For easier entry, it is worth to fill with the required volume of liquid. Patients who have a history of malfunctioning kidney function, the dose of the recommended drug is reduced by half.

The amount of medication needed to obtain a therapeutic effect is selected individually for each patient, based on the severity of the disease, the patient's age and overall health, the type of invasive microorganism, body weight and renal function.

The drug in the case of lower respiratory tract disease of medium gravity is administered to the patient in a size of 0.25 g, separated by two inputs. In the case of a severe course of the pathology, the dosage can double and correspond to 0.5 g, twice during the day.

The duration of the course of therapy is controlled by the treating doctor. After the disappearance of uncomfortable, dangerous symptoms, to fix the result, the drug must be taken for another two days. Usually, the treatment course is on average seven to ten days.

Contra-indications of ciprofloxacin include deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, viral keratitis, individual intolerance of one or several constituents of the drug or the age of the patient under 18 years.

If the attending physician diagnoses a bronchiectatic disease or lung abscess - in this case, one can not do without surgical intervention. When cancer pathology is carried out anti-cancer therapy, with the use of necessary medicines, can be shown and operation.

There are a number of other recommendations, which it is desirable to perform at a time when a person is concerned about coughing.

  1. You need a lot of drinking.
  2. Remove bad habits, especially with regard to smoking.
  3. Stabilize food by removing food from the diet - irritants (for example, spicy spices).
  4. Productive sleep.
  5. Regular airing, wet cleaning of living and working premises.

In parallel with specific medicines, expectorant drugs, bronchodilator drugs, enveloping, anti-inflammatory drugs can be introduced into the protocol of treatment.

In this situation, suitable as medicinal forms produced on the basis of plant raw materials, as well as synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs.

It is only necessary to take into account that patients who have a history of central nervous system damage, for example, can not administer thermopsis or ipecacuan. This can only aggravate the situation, provoking attacks of severe coughing and vomiting. In small patients, these drugs can cause respiratory arrest, which leads to asphyxia, aspiration.

Mukoreguliruyuschie drugs contribute to a better withdrawal of secretions, while many of them, paired with antibiotics, make it possible for the second to penetrate the secret of the bronchial tree. Particularly active today use such drugs as carbocysteine, ambroxol, bromhexine or acetylcysteine. Do not use them in the case of bronchial asthma in the patient.

Carbocysteine is administered to be administered orally to a patient. The starting dosage for an adult patient is 0.375 g, which corresponds to two capsules of the drug or one and a half tablespoons of the drug in the form of a syrup - it is identical to three teaspoons (0.25 g / 5 ml). The medicine is taken three times throughout the day.

Babies who are not yet five years old - half a teaspoon of syrup (a dosage of 0.125 g / 5 mg), administered to the body four times a day. Children, whose age falls in the interval from five to twelve - one teaspoon (0.25 g / 5 ml) or one tablespoon of syrup (0.125 g / 5 mg), taken three times throughout the day. If the expected effect is observed, it is desirable to reduce the dosage of the administered drug in half.

Contraindication to the appointment of carbocisteine may be an individual intolerance of the patient's body to the components of the drug, as well as with an active peptic ulcer in his anamnesis, in the case of an acute phase of diseases such as cystitis and glomerulonephritis.

Expectorants are prescribed to reduce the viscosity of the sputum, its volumes are increased, it becomes easier to remove. These drugs include ammonium chloride, sodium hydrogen carbonate, potassium iodide and sodium iodide.

Sodium bicarbonate is prescribed by the treating physician inside. The dosage of the drug corresponds to the digits from 0.5 to 1.5 g. The amount of medication taken depends on the pH level of the acidity of the gastric juice.

As an expectorant, sodium bicarbonate is used to wash the nasal passages, as a solution for rinsing the mouth and pharynx. It is also effective as a means for inhalation (solutions with a concentration of 0.5 to 2% are used) Contraindications to use this chemical compound has practically no, a single restriction to use can be poisoning with strong acids. In this case, sodium bicarbonate should not be taken orally.

Mucolytic drugs stabilize the process of utilization of the secretion of the bronchi, making its output more effective. Mainly used in children's therapy. For example, the drug ATSTS. Therapy of diseases such as tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia.

In the case of blood sputum when coughing, do not particularly rely on alternative medicine methods. It will not be superfluous to receive natural immunostimulants. They will support the body in "fighting" with the disease and will not allow the development of a secondary infection, which can only exacerbate and so difficult situation.

Prevention of blood sputum when coughing

As the proverb says, "do not renounce prison and soup." Similarly, you will not be able to completely insure yourself against the pathology in question, but to take measures to reduce the likelihood of a disease, the symptom of which is blood in sputum when coughing is quite real. Prophylaxis of blood in sputum during coughing includes methods that allow you to keep the bar of your body's immune defense at a high level.

  • It is necessary to remove from your life bad habits, especially nicotine.
  • Avoid contact with volatile chemicals with increased toxicity. If this is not possible, use a special protective suit and mask.
  • Minimize the impact of hard X-rays and ultraviolet radiation.
  • Need frequent, at least four - six times a day, airing residential and working premises.
  • You can even quartze the room at least once a day.
  • Walking in the fresh air is also useful.
  • Balanced nutrition, the diet should include foods rich in vitamins and trace elements. More to consume fruits and vegetables.
  • It is not superfluous to practice hardening procedures.
  • Adhere to the rules of personal hygiene.
  • Moderate physical activity.
  • Emotional stability. More positive emotions. Cheerful mood.

Blood sputum for cough

It is hard enough to give an unambiguous blood test in sputum when coughing. Too multifarious diseases can cause such a symptomatology. And if, for example, talking about the violation of the integrity of small vessels due to high blood pressure, it will be sufficient to monitor its parameters and the symptomatology will go away by itself, the same can be said about pneumonia or bronchitis. Timely diagnosis and adequate comprehensive treatment, and a prognosis of blood in sputum when coughing is quite favorable.

The situation is much more complicated if the cause of blood in sputum is coughing with lung cancer or pathology, comparing it with oncology in severity. But in this case, too, do not give up. The earlier the diagnosis is made and the necessary therapeutic measures are taken, the probability of a favorable outcome of treatment is higher.

Coughing is one of the many symptoms that our body signals about pathological changes that affect it. Blood in sputum when coughing - more serious bells. But summing up the aforesaid, it is necessary to draw a conclusion that if you, or someone from your relatives, observe this symptomatology, do not self-medicate at all - it can be just life-threatening. For the same reasons, complex therapy is not prescribed until the pathology is established, which was the cause of hemoptysis. Only having established the correct diagnosis it is possible to protect the patient's body from complications and to paint really effective therapy. Be more attentive to yourself, your health and the health of your loved ones! After all, early diagnosis is the key to a quick recovery with minimal consequences!

trusted-source[10], [11], [12]

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