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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is gastrointestinal bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, commonly defined as bleeding arising from the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. 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.
An upper GI bleed is more common than lower GI bleed. [2] An upper GI bleed occurs in 50 to 150 per 100,000 adults per year. [8] A lower GI bleed is estimated to occur in 20 to 30 per 100,000 per year. [2] It results in about 300,000 hospital admissions a year in the United States. [1] Risk of death from a GI bleed is between 5% and 30%.
Peptic ulcer disease is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. [1] [7] An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines is a duodenal ulcer. [1]
[131] [132] Some medical authorities suggest over-the-counter anticholinergic drugs as potential helpful treatments for abdominal cramping in mild ulcerative colitis. [133] However, their use is contraindicated especially in moderate to severe disease states because of the potential for anticholinergic treatment to induce toxic megacolon in ...
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]
The term over-the-counter (OTC) refers to a medication that can be purchased without a medical prescription. [3] In contrast, prescription drugs require a prescription from a doctor or other health care professional and should only be used by the prescribed individual. [4]
Famotidine, sold under the brand name Pepcid among others, is a histamine H 2 receptor antagonist medication that decreases stomach acid production. [4] It is used to treat peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. [4]
It may be caused by ulcers, tumors of the stomach or esophagus, varices, prolonged and vigorous retching, gastroenteritis, ingested blood (from bleeding in the mouth, nose, or throat), or certain drugs. [citation needed] Hematemesis is treated as a medical emergency, with treatments based on the amount of blood loss. Investigations include ...