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Digested blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract may appear black rather than red, resulting in "coffee ground" vomit or melena. [2] Other signs and symptoms include feeling tired, dizziness, and pale skin color. [18] A number of foods and medications can turn the stool either red or black in the absence of bleeding. [2]
Melena is a form of blood in stool which refers to the dark black, tarry feces that are commonly associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. [1] The black color and characteristic strong odor are caused by hemoglobin in the blood being altered by digestive enzymes and intestinal bacteria.
Blood may be observed in vomit or in altered form as black stool. Depending on the amount of the blood loss, symptoms may include shock. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by peptic ulcers, gastric erosions, esophageal varices, and rarer causes such as gastric cancer.
Blood in stool looks different depending on how early it enters the digestive tract—and thus how much digestive action it has been exposed to—and how much there is. The term can refer either to melena, with a black appearance, typically originating from upper gastrointestinal bleeding; or to hematochezia, with a red color, typically originating from lower gastrointestinal bleeding. [6]
Common side effects include vomiting, black stools, diarrhea, and constipation. [1] A more serious side effect, pneumonitis, may result if aspirated into the lungs. [1] [2] Gastrointestinal obstruction and ileus are less common but serious adverse effects. [1] Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is generally safe. [3]
Focusing on foods that provide soluble (which may soften stool) and insoluble fiber (which helps move bulk through the intestinal system) is the key to reducing constipation.
Deferoxamine is a drug that is used in cases of serious iron poisoning. It is a chelating agent and binds to free iron in the body in order to be eliminated by the kidneys into urine. [ 8 ] Dosing of deferoxamine should be determined through consultation with a toxicologist but is typically continuously infused at 15 mg/kg to 35 mg/kg per hour ...
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