Most patients with hemoptysis have a good outcome, but some patients can have a serious underlying condition. The authors are from Hadassah University Hospital in Israel.
Major causes of hemoptysis include:
(1) lung cancer, primary or metastatic
(2) bronchiectasis
(3) bronchitis
(4) pneumonia, including tuberculosis and lung abscess
Less common causes:
(5) congestive heart failure
(6) bronchial adenoma
(7) pulmonary or systemic hypertension
(8) radiation pneumonitis
(9) trauma
(10) vasculitis
(11) lipoid pneumonia
(12) pulmonary embolism
(13) mitral stenosis
(14) parasitic infection (Echinococcus, other)
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Amount of Blood
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Term for Bleeding
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drops of blood or bloody sputum
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trivial
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moderate
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< 500 mL in 24 hours
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massive
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> 500 mL in 24 hours
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Causes of severe or massive hemoptysis:
(1) bronchiectasis
(2) bleeding diathesis (anticoagulation, severe thrombocytopenia, other)
Conditions associated with a worse prognosis:
(1) lung cancer
(2) massive bleeding
Diagnosis often requires both CT scan and bronchoscopy.
