What to eat when there is upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
Updated on September 18, 2024
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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is relatively common in clinical practice. Its main causes include bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers, rupture of esophagogastric varices, and bleeding caused by gastric cancer, among others. When upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurs, it is crucial to seek medical attention promptly. After systematic treatment, if the symptoms of bleeding are controlled, the patient can then consume small amounts of clear broth and thin porridge, and gradually transition back to a normal diet. However, the patient should avoid spicy and irritating foods to prevent the recurrence of gastrointestinal bleeding.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
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Common Causes of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

The common causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding mainly include the following points: First, esophageal diseases, such as esophagitis, Mallory-Weiss syndrome. Secondly, peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, acute erosive hemorrhagic gastritis, and then esophageal gastric variceal rupture caused by portal hypertension. There are also diseases of neighboring organs or tissues of the upper digestive tract, such as biliary bleeding, pancreatic diseases involving the duodenum, such as pancreatic cancer, acute pancreatitis complicated by abscess rupture and bleeding. Additionally, there are systemic diseases, such as allergic purpura, hemophilia, leukemia, etc.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Emergency measures for upper gastrointestinal bleeding

The treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding temporarily focuses on fasting and symptomatic fluid replacement. If the patient exhibits significant anemia, actively transfusing red blood cells to correct the anemia is advised. It is recommended that the patient rests in bed, with heart monitoring, blood pressure, and pulse being monitored. As for medications, acid-suppressing, stomach-protecting, and hemostatic drugs may initially be chosen for observation. Once the vital signs and condition have stabilized, it is important to promptly complete routine blood tests, electrocardiograms, and gastroscopy. Among these, gastroscopy is the most crucial diagnostic method, as it can clarify the cause and nature of the bleeding, such as gastric ulcer bleeding, gastric cancer bleeding, etc. Treatment plans vary depending on the cause; if the bleeding is suspected to be due to peptic ulcer disease, medication support is generally the first choice. If the bleeding is suspected to be from malignant transformation of gastric cancer, surgical intervention is typically necessary.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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Black stool is bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Black stools are generally caused by upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, which can stem from several reasons: The first one is peptic ulcer, including stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers; The second is bleeding caused by varices rupturing in the esophagus or stomach due to liver cirrhosis; The third is acute gastric mucosal injury, for example, gastric bleeding caused by orally taken non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; The fourth is gastric hemorrhage caused by gastric cancer. No matter what causes the upper gastrointestinal bleeding, one should promptly visit a hospital, undergo a gastroscopy to determine the cause, and receive timely rescue and treatment. Moreover, during the treatment period, one cannot eat while experiencing gastric bleeding, and must fast until the bleeding stops, after which a liquid diet can be introduced, followed by a transition to a semi-liquid diet.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding gastroscopy time

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is also relatively common in clinical practice. The most common causes are bleeding from peptic ulcers, rupture of esophageal and gastric varices, bleeding caused by gastric cancer, and various emergency bleedings. Once gastrointestinal bleeding occurs, medical attention should be sought promptly. If the patient experiences hemorrhagic shock or hemorrhagic anemia, it is necessary to provide blood transfusions and hemostasis, and replenish blood volume as active treatments. Additionally, for upper gastrointestinal bleeding, it is generally advisable to complete a gastroscopic examination within 24 to 48 hours, which can help clarify the cause of the patient’s gastrointestinal bleeding.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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What medicine is used to stop bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract?

Pharmacological treatment for upper gastrointestinal bleeding may include aggressive fluid resuscitation to improve symptoms of hypovolemia, transfusion of red blood cells when necessary to correct anemia, and the use of acid-suppressive and gastroprotective medications to prevent further bleeding. Common causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding include gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and even vascular anomalies. Therefore, in the early stages, it is advisable to choose acid-suppressive and gastroprotective medications to treat common causes such as gastric ulcers and gastritis, which lead to bleeding. The main symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are vomiting blood or bleeding from the bowels. In severe cases, the patient may also experience dizziness and fatigue due to low blood volume. For such patients, once the condition stabilizes, it is important to conduct routine blood tests, electrocardiography, and gastroscopy to identify the specific cause of the bleeding. Different causes require different treatment approaches. If the bleeding is suspected to be caused by a tumor, pharmacological treatment may not be very effective, and surgical intervention might be more appropriate. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)