Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy
All questioning described below is designed to elucidate clues to a possible cause of haemoptysis which can be found in the past medical history.
Has the patient a severe upper respiratory tract infection?
Is the patient a smoker? If so, this is the most significant risk factor for lung carcinoma.
Are there features in the history that indicate that the patient is at risk of development of a PE, e.g. immobility, post-operative, polycythaemic?
Is there a history of a recent invasive procedure, e.g. lung biopsy, bronchoscopy?
Is the patient asthmatic? If so, has the patient got aspergillosis? This line of reasoning is important because a mycetoma, e.g. an aspergilloma, can present with haemoptysis.
Has the patient a history of bronchitis?
What is the ethnic origin of the patient? What is the country of origin? This line of questioning may reveal risk factors for tuberculosis.
Are there risk factors for acute left ventricular failure, e.g. hypertension, MI?
Is the patient on anticoagulant therapy?
Does the patient suffer from a bleeding diathesis?
Has there been significant recent weight loss? If so, this is suggestive of an underlying malignancy.
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