Gastrointestinal bleeding

Gastrointestinal bleeding is blood loss from the esophagus, stomach, or intestines. It may be visible in vomit or stool, or hidden and detected through testing.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Bleeding originating in the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. This subtype includes bleeding above the ligament of Treitz and often presents with vomiting blood or black stool.
Ligament of Treitz: A suspensory structure marking the junction between the duodenum and jejunum. It is the conventional boundary used to distinguish upper from lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: An endoscopic examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It identifies many upper-tract sources and allows immediate endoscopic treatment.
Peptic ulcer disease: Breaks in the lining of the stomach or duodenum, often associated with Helicobacter pylori or anti-inflammatory medicines. Ulcers are a frequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Hemoptysis: Coughing up blood originating in the respiratory tract. Blood coughed from the lungs can be mistaken for blood vomited from the gastrointestinal tract.
Lower gastrointestinal bleeding: Bleeding originating in the small intestine, colon, rectum, or anus. This subtype commonly presents as red or maroon blood passed in stool.
Iron-deficiency anemia: A condition in which insufficient iron limits production of healthy red blood cells. Chronic occult bleeding can deplete iron and produce this anemia.
Colonoscopy: An examination of the colon and rectum using a flexible camera. It can locate and treat bleeding sources in the large intestine.
Esophageal varices: Enlarged veins in the esophagus that develop when portal blood flow is obstructed, often by cirrhosis. Their rupture can cause sudden, severe upper-tract bleeding.
Epistaxis: Bleeding from the nose, commonly called a nosebleed. Swallowed nasal blood can resemble gastrointestinal bleeding or cause dark stool.

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