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Sep 10, 2017 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists
By Dr Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a very common cause of Hospitalization worldwide. Symptoms
can be life threatening when not treated quickly. While the symptoms of GI bleeding are themselves dangerous, it is also a sign of a more serious condition. For patients with signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, it’s important to know as much as possible and to seek medical treatment immediately. Today we will shed some light on this potentially deadly condition so that you can help to detect it earlier and prevent its progression.
What is a GI bleed?
“GI” stands for “gastrointestinal.” “GI system” (or “GI tract”) is the medical term for all the organs in your body that process food. The GI system includes your:
A GI bleed is when any of these organs start to bleed. Often you do not know you are bleeding, because it’s happening inside your body. But sometimes there are signs that it is happening.
There are 2 common types of GI bleeds. “Upper GI bleeds” affect the esophagus, the stomach, and the first part of the small intestine. “Lower GI bleeds” affect the colon.
What are the symptoms of a GI bleed?
The symptoms are a bit different depending on whether you have an upper or lower GI bleed. Some people have no symptoms. They find out they have bleeding when a doctor does a rectal (anal) exam on them or a blood test shows they have anemia. (Anemia is when a person has too few red blood cells.)
The symptoms of an upper GI bleed can include:
The symptoms of a lower GI bleed can include:
Symptoms that can happen with either an upper or lower GI bleed include:
What can cause a GI bleed?
The most common causes of GI bleeds include:
Is there a test for a GI bleed?
Yes. If your doctor suspects you have a GI bleed, he or she will order 1 or more of these tests:
How is a GI bleed treated?
Depending on how much blood you have lost and what seems to be causing your bleeding, you might get 1 or more of these treatments:
Depending on where the bleed seems to be, you might also have an upper endoscopy, a colonoscopy, or both. This can help the doctors find the spot or spots that are bleeding. Plus, doctors can sometimes use the upper endoscope or colonoscope to seal off blood vessels and stop them from bleeding.
Can a GI bleed be prevented?
You can lower your chances of getting a GI bleed by:
Avoiding a GI bleed is your best bet. Eating and drinking correctly and using the right medications will help you to minimize your chances of getting a GI bleed.
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