Principles of Critical Care > Part IV. Pulmonary Disorders > Chapter 41. Massive Hemoptysis Richard K. Albert

Key Points

"Hemoptysis is defined as coughing of blood, and can be caused by numerous diseases and conditions (Table 41-1). Most series indicate that bronchiectasis is the most common cause, but the prevalence of any specific causal entity is a function of the time frame studied (with tuberculosis being more common in older series), and the nature of the population encountered (e.g., bronchiectasis in patients with cystic fibrosis, cancer in older smokers)...."