What kind of cough and sputum are seen in CHF?

• A. Pink frothy sputum
• B. Little mucus
• C. Clear sputum
• D. No sputum

Answer: (A)

In left-sided heart failure, pressure backs up into the lungs, causing pulmonary edema. Fluid floods the alveoli and airways, and red blood cells can mix with that fluid, giving the sputum a pink color and a frothy, bubbly texture as the patient coughs it up. This pink, frothy sputum is a classic indicator of CHF with pulmonary edema, reflecting the fluid-filled airspaces rather than a simple infectious or mucus-producing process. While coughing may occur with various respiratory issues, the combination of heart failure–related edema and pink frothy sputum strongly points to CHF rather than clear or minimal sputum. Note that early or milder edema can sometimes produce less dramatic sputum, but the pink froth remains the hallmark finding when pulmonary edema is present.