Blood in sputum (Hemoptysis) – What it is, Symptoms and Causes

What is hemoptysis?

It is defined as coughing up blood alone or mixed up with mucus occurring from the lower respiratory tract (lungs or bronchial tubes).

How does it all happen?

Generally, the lung blood circulation (95%) is through low-pressure pulmonary arteries and ends up in the pulmonary capillary bed, where gaseous exchange happens. Near about 5% of the blood circulates through high-pressure bronchial arteries, which originate at the aorta and supply major airways and supporting structures.

In case of hemoptysis, the blood generally arises from this bronchial circulation, except when pulmonary arteries are damaged by trauma, by the erosion of a granulomatous or calcified lymph node or tumor, or, rarely, by pulmonary arterial catheterization or when pulmonary capillaries are affected by inflammation.

Hemoptysis Treatment:

• Treat the cause: Antibiotics for infection/ TB, chemotherapy/ radiation for lung cancer, and steroids for inflammatory conditions.

• Bronchial artery embolization: to localize, block, and stop the bleeding from bronchial arteries in severe cases of tuberculosis or damage to the arteries due to trauma or other reasons.