What should you know about blood vomiting in heart failure?

Heart failure can cause breathlessness, fatigue, cough, palpitations, or swollen ankles, but blood brought up with vomiting needs a separate explanation. Severe coughing may irritate the throat, while blood may instead come from the stomach or oesophagus. Medicines used for heart conditions, including blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs, can make bleeding more serious. Never stop prescribed heart medicines on your own; the emergency team can decide what to pause or continue.

Seek emergency medical help immediately. Sit upright if breathing is comfortable, or lie on your side if sleepy, and avoid food, drink, alcohol, and non-prescribed painkillers. Take your medicine list, including diuretics and blood thinners, and mention recent dose changes, black stools, breathlessness, or chest discomfort.

Call emergency services for any blood vomited, particularly with breathlessness at rest, chest pain, faintness, confusion, blue lips, sweating, or rapidly worsening swelling. These symptoms can reflect bleeding, reduced circulation, or fluid-related breathing problems and should not be watched at home.

Ask whether a heart medicine could worsen bleeding, how your fluid treatment should be managed during illness, which tests are needed, and how to recognise a future emergency.