What Does Coughing Up Of White Mucus In A Person With Dementia Indicate?

Posted on Fri, 13 Jan 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 Answered on

Sat, 4 Feb 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi... My father is 81 years old and suffers from Parkinson's disease and is under treatment for Lewy body dementia as well.. He is also a former smoker who quit in his 40's.. For months he has been coughing up white mucus and has in the last couple of days developed a gurgly speech pattern and sounds like he is drowning in fluid. Now he says he has troubling swallowing solid food because he cannot breath. What should I do? He went to an ENT yesterday who simply prescribed a swallow test.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Respiratory diseases Specialist evaluation.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for using HCM.

I have read your question and understand your concerns.

In such case, besides swallowing function, pulmonary diseases such COPD, bronchitis etc, should be taken in consideration, since your father is a former smoker and cough with increased respiratory secretions is the main concern.

It is necessary for your father to be evaluated by a respiratory diseases Specialist, it is necessary also for testing such spirometry, lungs imaging, blood work about inflammation levels etc.

Treatment depends on diagnosis.

Hope you found the answer helpful.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Kind regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj