Cough with Pink, Frothy Sputum

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

Cough with pink, frothy sputum is a clinical symptom that typically indicates the presence of fluid in the lungs, specifically within the alveoli, suggesting a condition of pulmonary oedema.

This manifestation is concerning and requires urgent medical evaluation, as it may indicate severe heart failure or other cardiopulmonary conditions. Pink, frothy sputum is produced due to the mixture of serous fluid and small amounts of blood.

Pathology	Suspected Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Acute pulmonary oedema	Severe dyspnoea, orthopnoea, cough with pink frothy sputum, crackles on lung auscultation.	Chest X-ray, echocardiogram, elevated BNP or NT-proBNP levels.
Mitral stenosis	Exertional dyspnoea, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, cough with pink frothy sputum, diastolic murmur at the cardiac apex.	Echocardiogram, cardiac catheterisation.