A patient coughing up pink frothy sputum most likely has which condition?

• A. Pulmonary edema
• B. Stroke
• C. Diabetes
• D. Heart attack

Answer: (A)

Pink, frothy sputum is a classic sign of fluid in the lungs, known as pulmonary edema. This happens when the left side of the heart can’t pump effectively, causing blood to back up into the pulmonary circulation. The increased pressure pushes fluid out of the capillaries and into the alveoli, leading to frothy, sometimes blood-tinged sputum, along with shortness of breath and crackles on exam. The other conditions listed don’t typically produce this combination of sign and lung symptoms: a stroke affects the brain, diabetes is a metabolic disease, and a heart attack can trigger heart failure but isn’t identified by pink frothy sputum alone.