44-year-old Man with Hemoptysis and Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: A Case Report

Hemoptysis can be a highly alarming presentation in the emergency department (ED). Even seemingly minor cases may represent potentially lethal underlying pathology. It requires thorough evaluation and careful consideration of a broad differential diagnosis. A 44-year-old man presented to the ED with a concern of hemoptysis in the setting of recent fever and myalgias. This case takes the reader through how to approach the differential diagnosis and diagnostic work-up of hemoptysis in the ED setting and then reveals the surprising final diagnosis.