The most common cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
Updated on September 25, 2024
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Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is very common in clinical settings, and the main causes of upper GI bleeding include the following: First, gastric and duodenal ulcers, esophageal diseases. Second, esophageal and gastric fundal varices rupture caused by portal hypertension. Third, diseases of organs or tissues adjacent to the upper digestive tract, such as biliary bleeding or pancreatic diseases involving the duodenum, such as pancreatic cancer, as well as aortic aneurysms breaking into the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. Fourth, systemic diseases, such as allergic purpura, hemophilia, etc., can all lead to upper GI bleeding. After such bleeding occurs, it is essential to seek medical attention promptly.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding clinical manifestations

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding primarily refers to bleeding above the Treitz ligament. The most common causes in clinical practice are peptic ulcers, rupture of esophagogastric varices, acute erosive hemorrhagic gastritis, gastric cancer, etc. The clinical manifestations of upper gastrointestinal bleeding mainly depend on the volume and speed of the bleeding, with the main symptoms being vomiting blood and black stools. After significant blood loss, patients may experience symptoms of peripheral circulatory failure due to reduced circulating blood volume, such as dizziness, palpitations, fatigue, cold limbs, increased heart rate, and low blood pressure. If the patient enters a state of shock, it could even be life-threatening.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Mild upper gastrointestinal bleeding symptoms

Symptoms of mild upper gastrointestinal bleeding mainly include dizziness, fatigue, poor appetite, etc., and there may also be cases of passing black stools. Once a patient experiences black stools accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness and fatigue, upper gastrointestinal bleeding should be considered. It is advisable to visit the gastroenterology department of a reputable hospital as soon as possible to undergo a gastroscopy to promptly determine the cause of the condition. Depending on the different causes, appropriate and active treatment measures should be taken. Additionally, endoscopic hemostasis treatment can also be considered. Patients with mild upper gastrointestinal bleeding should also be extra cautious, as delayed treatment may lead to the possibility of severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Why does pulmonary heart disease cause upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Cor pulmonale is a very common type of heart disease in the clinic, mainly caused by various etiologies leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension, which results in right ventricular hypertrophy. Typically, patients with this disease have underlying pulmonary and cardiac lesions, and it mainly causes symptoms of varying degrees, such as fever, cough, expectoration, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and even difficulty breathing. Cor pulmonale is a complex disease, and if not managed properly in clinical practice, it can lead to many complications, especially respiratory failure and heart failure. This can lead to insufficient blood and oxygen supply, causing various degrees of increased pressure in the gastric vessels or vascular spasms due to hypoxia, all of which can cause patients to experience upper gastrointestinal bleeding during severe coughing, or when consuming certain foods.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Why is there black stool with upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Gastrointestinal bleeding refers to the condition where blood cells turn black after being decomposed by intestinal bacteria, thus clinically presenting as black stools. Therefore, with a small amount of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, it may simply present as black stools. Of course, with a larger amount of bleeding, it can manifest as vomiting blood or bloody stools, and severe cases may accompany symptoms of low blood flow, such as dizziness, fatigue, chest tightness, etc. For patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, it is recommended that they visit the gastroenterology department of a local hospital to undergo further examinations including complete blood count, stool tests, and gastroscopy. Gastroscopy can help identify the location and nature of the bleeding, whether it might be peptic ulcers or gastrointestinal tumors, etc. For treatment, medications that regulate acid and protect the stomach or those that stop bleeding and replenish fluids can be considered symptomatically. Of course, if the black stools are suspected to be caused by a tumor, surgical intervention is generally required.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding causes

The most common cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is likely peptic ulcers, such as stomach ulcers, duodenal bulb ulcers, and compound ulcers. Other conditions, such as acute gastric mucosal lesions caused by medication, can also lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. Gastrointestinal tumors, such as esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, and duodenal cancer, can also invade blood vessels and cause upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Vascular diseases, such as varicose veins of the esophagus and stomach base caused by liver cirrhosis, can rupture and lead to upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Massive bleeding can also occur due to the rupture of the gastric artery. Other conditions, like systemic diseases and blood disorders, can lead to thrombocytopenia or coagulation dysfunction, which can also result in upper gastrointestinal bleeding.