Gastrointestinal bleeding

Gastrointestinal bleeding or gastrointestinal hemorrhage describes every form of hemorrhage(loss of blood) in the gastrointestinal tract, from the pharynxto the rectum. It has diverse causes, and a medical history, as well as physical examination, generally distinguishes between the main forms. The degree of bleeding can range from nearly undetectable to acute, massive, life-threatening bleeding. Upper endoscopyor colonoscopyare generally considered appropriate to identify the source of bleeding.

Gastrointestinal bleeding can be roughly divided into two clinical syndromes: upper gastrointestinal bleeding(from a source between the pharynxand the start of the duodenum; for example, hematemesis) and lower gastrointestinal bleeding(from a source between the duodenumand the rectum; for example, melenaand hematochezia). Other causes of gastrointestinal bleeding can include arteriovenous malformation.

Gastrointestinal bleeding can happen as an adverse effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugssuch as aspirinor ibuprofen.

Considerations

Gastrointestinal bleeding can range from microscopic bleeding, where the amount of blood is so small that it can only be detected by laboratory testing, to massive bleeding where pure blood is passed.

It is important to be aware of gastrointestinal bleeding, because it may herald many significant diseases and conditions. Prolonged microscopic bleeding can lead to massive losses of iron and subsequent anemia. Acute, massive bleeding can lead to hypovolemia, shock, and even death.

Gastrointestinal bleeding can occur at any age from birth on. The degree and suspected location of the bleeding determines what tests should be performed to find the cause. Once a bleeding site is identified, numerous therapies are available to stop the bleeding.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrointestinal+bleeding Wikipedia article Gastrointestinal bleeding.