Hemoptysis can happen with lung malignant growth, contaminations, for example, tuberculosis, bronchitis, or pneumonia, and certain cardiovascular conditions.Hemoptysis is a medical condition in which a person coughs up blood. It can be due to a minor infection or a life-threatening medical emergency. There are actually a ton of possible causes for hemoptysis, so doctors have their work cut out for them trying to pinpoint the culprit. In fact, in about 25% of cases, no cause is identified at all! In the United States, the most common cause is acute bronchitis, which is when the bronchi become inflamed or swollen. These cases usually clear on their own but can progress into more serious conditions. In the rest of the world, tuberculosis, a bacterial infection of the lungs, is the most common cause of hemoptysis.Generally, coughing up blood would be alarming enough in itself to prompt one to get medical treatment. However, there are a number of symptoms that may accompany hemoptysis that indicate the possibility of a serious medical emergency. These include hemoptysis lasting longer than a week or recurring over time, chest pains, unexpected weight loss, night sweats, fever, and shortness of breath during activities that would otherwise be non-exerting.If a patient walks in to your office and is coughing up blood, it's time to get down to business and figure out the underlying cause. A physical exam and review of the patient's medical history can help pinpoint causes, as can imaging scans like X-rays or CT scans. Blood chemistry, blood cell counts (platelets help with blood clotting), and analysis of the material that is being coughed up can also provide clues as to the cause of the blood. There is also a process called a bronchoscopy, in which a small tube with a camera is fed through the mouth down into the windpipe and lungs. The camera can provide 'eyes on the inside' to locate the source of a bleed.