Differentials
Haemoptysis
SIGNS / SYMPTOMS
Patients with haemoptysis may have other respiratory signs and symptoms, such as cough, dyspnoea, wheeze, abnormal breath sounds on chest auscultation.
INVESTIGATIONS
Usually only an initial confusion and clinically apparent after a more thorough patient examination.
Chest x-ray or CT may be abnormal in patients with haemoptysis. Some bleeding sources require bronchoscopy for identification (e.g., pulmonary blood vessel that cannot be seen on imaging).
Haematemesis
SIGNS / SYMPTOMS
Patients with haematemesis more likely to have other gastrointestinal (GI) signs and symptoms, such as abdominal pain, melaena, history of peptic ulcer disease.
INVESTIGATIONS
Usually only an initial confusion and clinically apparent after a more thorough patient examination.
Upper GI endoscopy helpful in detecting bleeding source.
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