Secure the airway – assess for any blood in the airway and adequacy of respirations. Initial management of a patient with an acute GI bleed include: Initial management regardless of the source or acuity is stabilization of the patient, and then attempting to manage the source of bleeding depending on the etiology. Acute GI bleeding often results in the need for more urgent intervention and stabilization than subacute bleeding. GI bleeding can be categorized as acute or subacute. pylori infection.Ĭolitis (due to infection, ischemia, inflammatory bowel disease)Īnorectal disease (hemorrhoids, fissures) *Bleeding peptic ulcers (gastric and duodenal) are the most common etiology in patients presenting with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and is strongly associated with H. The list of potential causes by location are included in Table.1.īy Diagram of the stomach, colon and rectum from public domain source at -, Public Domain, Bleeding from the Upper GI tract is 4 times more common than bleeding from the Lower GI tract. The differential diagnosis of GI bleeding is generally categorized into Upper or Lower GI Bleeds, based on whether the bleeding occurs anatomically above or below the Ligament of Treitz. In the United States, it is estimated that about 540,000 hospitalizations occur each year due to GI bleeding. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common presentation in the Emergency Department and can involve any bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. Explain the indications for blood transfusion in a patient with a GI bleed, including packed red blood cells, platelets, and administration of clotting factors or other reversal agents for anticoagulants.Discuss the initial assessment, management and disposition of a patient presenting to the Emergency Department with a GI bleed.List common causes of a Gastrointestinal (GI) bleed.

Upon completion of this module, the student will be able to:

Upon arrival to the ED, the patient has an episode of hematemesis, witnessed by the staff. Abdomen is soft, nontender, but distended. VS: HR 110, BP 85/45, RR 20, O2 Sat 100% He is pale and diaphoretic, ill appearing. He has a history of alcohol use disorder and has been seen in the ED in the past for bleeding hemorrhoids. SAEMF/CDEM Innovations in Undergraduate Emergency Medicine Education GrantĬareer Development and Mentorship CommitteeĬDEM Medical Education Fellow Travel ScholarshipĦ8-year-old man presents with vomiting coffee ground emesis. Virtual Rotation and Educational ResourcesĮMF/SAEMF Medical Student Research Training Grant A type of endoscopy called colonoscopy looks at the large intestine.Visit us on Twitter LinkedIn Facebook YouTube InstagramĮffective Consultation in Emergency Medicine Video It uses a flexible instrument inserted through the mouth or rectum to view the inside of the GI tract. The test used most often to look for the cause of GI bleeding is called endoscopy. There are many possible causes of GI bleeding, including hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, tears or inflammation in the esophagus, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, colonic polyps, or cancer in the colon, stomach or esophagus.

GI bleeding is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease. Stool mixed or coated with bright red blood.Signs of bleeding in the lower digestive tract include: Signs of bleeding in the upper digestive tract include: Signs of bleeding in the digestive tract depend where it is and how much bleeding there is. The amount of bleeding can be so small that only a lab test can find it. Bleeding can come from any of these areas. Your digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, rectum, and anus.

Upper endoscopy findings gi bleed