Hemoptysis

Hemoptysis :


The act of coughing out blood -->can be minimal to massive in quantity. Massive hemoptysis can be in excess of 3-4 liters;

An instance of hemoptysis can occur suddenly , and massive hemoptysis can , and often does, kill in a matter of 15 seconds from the onset of the episode to its final grisly conclusion. The patient expires as a result of aspirated blood coating the pulmonary alveoli which in turn arrests essential gas exchange in the lungs ; oxygen saturation drops ; the body in a valiant yet futile effort to maintain equilibrium stimulates the heart to pump faster but massive blood loss lowers the blood pressure , resulting in less blood being pumped to vital organs and as a result drastically less oxygen , less oxygen causes the nerve cells in the brain to die , misfiring nerve centers in the brain stem cause the already failing heart to pump erratically , asynchronously and violently , until the cardiac muscle , deprived of life giving oxygen , stops beating and a condition known as "cardiac arrest" in sues ; the patient now drowning in their own blood , deprived of cardiac support , and severely brain damaged , finally and mercifully shuffles off the mortal coil.