Word parts
What it means
Blood that comes up with a cough, from somewhere below the voice box. It is often bright red and frothy and mixed with sputum. Small streaks can come from a chest infection or bronchitis; larger amounts are seen in tuberculosistoo-ber-kyoo-LOH-sisAn infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most often attacks the lungs.tubercul/o small swelling-osis abnormal conditionFull entry , lung cancer, pulmonary embolismPUL-muh-nair-ee EM-buh-liz-umA blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has traveled there from elsewhere in the body.pulmon/o lung-ary relating toembol/o plug-ism conditionFull entry and bleeding problems. It is different from hematemesishee-muh-TEM-uh-sisVomiting blood, either bright red or dark and grainy like coffee grounds.hemat/o blood-emesis vomitingFull entry , which is vomiting blood from the stomach.
For the nurse
Note how much blood, its color and whether it is mixed with sputum, and check the oxygen saturation and breathing. Report it promptly; large amounts are an emergency because blood can block the airway. Keep the client upright or on the bleeding side if known, and keep suction at hand.
In a chart
"Client coughed up about 5 mL of bright red, frothy sputum; SpO2 94% on room air."
Remember it
Ptysis is spit: hemoptysis is spitting blood from the lungs.
At a glance
| Everyday words | coughing up blood |
|---|---|
| Spanish | hemoptisis |
Easy to confuse with
hematemesis
Vomiting blood, either bright red or dark and grainy like coffee grounds.
Related terms
hem/o
A word part that means blood.
pulmonary embolism
A blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has traveled there from elsewhere in the body.
tuberculosis
An infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most often attacks the lungs.
hematemesis
Vomiting blood, either bright red or dark and grainy like coffee grounds.