Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Alternate Names : GI Bleeding, Lower GI Bleeding, Upper GI Bleeding
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What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
GI bleeding can be an emergency condition requiring immediate medical attention. Intravenous fluids and medications, blood transfusions, drainage of the stomach through a tube (nasogastric tube), and other measures may be required.
Once the condition is stable, a physical examination, including a detailed abdominal examination, will be performed.
Medical history questions to document GI bleeding in detail may include:
- When did it start?
- Is it off and on or does it continue?
- What did you notice?
- Were there black, tarry stools or was there obvious blood in the stools?
- Were you vomiting blood?
- Did you vomit material that looks like coffee grounds?
- Do you have a history of peptic ulcer or duodenal ulcer?
- Have you ever had symptoms like this before?
- What other symptoms are present?
- Did you notice anything that you think may have caused or been associated with the bleeding?
Gastrointestinal bleeding is diagnosed by the health care provider -- the person may or may not have been aware of its presence.
Diagnostic tests may include:
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