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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by peptic ulcers, gastric erosions, esophageal varices, and rarer causes such as gastric cancer. The initial assessment includes measurement of the blood pressure and heart rate , as well as blood tests to determine the hemoglobin .
Despite treatment, re-bleeding occurs in about 7–16% of those with upper GI bleeding. [3] In those with esophageal varices, bleeding occurs in about 5–15% a year and if they have bled once, there is a higher risk of further bleeding within six weeks. [13] Testing and treating H. pylori if found can prevent re-bleeding in those with peptic ...
GERD is the most common cause of esophagitis because of the backflow of acid from the stomach, which can irritate the lining of the esophagus. Other causes include: Medicines – Can cause esophageal damage that can lead to esophageal ulcers Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) – aspirin, naproxen sodium, and ibuprofen. Known to ...
Acid peptic diseases, such as peptic ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, are caused by distinct but overlapping pathogenic mechanisms involving acid effects on mucosal defense. Acid reflux damages the esophageal mucosa and may also cause laryngeal tissue injury, leading to the development of pulmonary ...
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]
Peptic ulcer. [4] [2] This may be related to Zollinger–Ellison syndrome, which causes severe disease. Vascular malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract, such as bleeding gastric varices or intestinal varices. [4] Mallory–Weiss syndrome: bleeding tears in the esophagal mucosa, usually caused by prolonged and vigorous retching. [4]
Causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding that may result in melena include malignant tumors affecting the esophagus, stomach or small intestine, hemorrhagic blood diseases, such as thrombocytopenia and hemophilia, gastritis, stomach cancer, esophageal varices, Meckel's diverticulum and Mallory-Weiss syndrome.
Patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy may experience bleeding from the stomach, which may uncommonly manifest itself in vomiting blood or melena; however, portal hypertension may cause several other more common sources of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, such as esophageal varices and gastric varices. On endoscopic evaluation of the ...