What happens in upper GI bleeding?

What is an upper GI bleed? Upper GI bleeds occur when part of the upper digestive tract becomes injured or inflamed. A GI bleed is a symptom of another disorder rather than a health condition in itself. Doctors divide GI bleeds into upper and lower bleeds depending on the source of the blood.

What is the most common cause of upper GI bleeding?

Peptic ulcer. This is the most common cause of upper GI bleeding. Peptic ulcers are sores that develop on the lining of the stomach and upper portion of the small intestine.

What are the three main presentations of GI bleeding?

Clinical presentation Upper GI bleeding usually presents with hematemesis (vomiting of fresh blood), “coffee-ground” emesis (vomiting of dark altered blood), and/or melena (black tarry stools).

What are the differences between an upper and lower GI bleed?

Upper GI bleeding: The upper GI tract includes the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach), stomach, and first part of the small intestine. Lower GI bleeding: The lower GI tract includes much of the small intestine, large intestine or bowels, rectum, and anus.

What does an upper GI bleed look like?

Your stool might become darker and sticky, like tar, if bleeding comes from the stomach or upper GI tract. You may pass blood from your rectum during bowel movements, which could cause you to see some blood in your toilet or on your toilet tissue. This blood is usually bright red in color.

What are five symptoms of a victim experiencing internal bleeding?

These could be symptoms of internal bleeding:

• dizziness.
• severe weakness.
• passing out.
• low blood pressure.
• acute visual problems.
• numbness.
• weakness on one side of the body.
• severe headache.

How do you fix an upper GI bleed?

If you have an upper GI bleed, you might be given an IV drug known as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to suppress stomach acid production. Once the source of the bleeding is identified, your doctor will determine whether you need to continue taking a PPI .

Which condition causes upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by peptic ulcers, gastric erosions, esophageal varices, and some rarer causes such as gastric cancer.

How does upper GI bleeding affect the body?

In addition to any effects from the problem that causes the bleeding, the blood loss itself can affect the body in different ways. A chronic but minimal amount of upper GI bleeding may weaken the body over time, causing your overall physical health to decline. You may become anemic, losing important iron that the body needs to function well.

What causes upper GI bleeds?

Causes of upper GI bleeds include: peptic ulcer disease, esophageal varices due to liver cirrhosis and cancer, among others. Causes of lower GI bleeds include: hemorrhoids, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease among others.

What is treatment for upper – GI – bleed?

More commonly, upper GI bleeding is treated with medications that decrease the stomach’s acid, such as Zantac, Pepcid, Prevacid, Prilosec, etc., while the lining heals. The treatment of lower GI bleeding depends on the cause and the location of the bleeding.