Why Would A Person Have A Trickle Of Blood From Nose After Dying?

Posted on Fri, 24 Aug 2012

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

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 Answered on

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I am just trying to figure out a reason someone would have a trickle of blood from their nose after dying while sleeping. My mother was found peaceful and did not seem to be in any distress at time of death, yet had a thin line of blood from her nose?

Answered by Dr. Naveen (2 hours later)

Hi

Thanks for posting the query

Most of the ‘sudden deaths’ happen due to sudden raise in blood pressure leading to either rupture of blood vessels in the brain or due to sudden cardiac arrest.

Hence, when there is sudden raise of the blood pressure, certain weak points (aneurysm) in the blood vessels break off leading to oozing of the blood into the tissues. This leads to sudden death if it happens in the brain. Likewise, during sudden raise in the blood pressure there can be dislodgement of atheromatous plaques present in the coronary vessels in the heart leading to blockage of the blood to the musculature of heart and causing silent cardiac arrest.

Similarly, the blood can also ooze through the nose when the aneurysms break in the nose. I feel it is the same thing which could have happened in your mother.

Hope I have answered your query and I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar