The gastrointestinal tract includes the esophagus, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, rectum and the anus. The gastrointestinal bleeding can occur in any one of these parts of the digestive tract. This is usually a symptom of an underlying cause rather than a disease. This is a common clinical condition that can range from a life-threatening hemorrhage to a slow chronic blood loss that requires hospitalization. Although several of the gastrointestinal bleedings can stop on its own, it is important to identify the cause to prevent a recurrent episode.
Causes
There are various conditions that can cause gastrointestinal hemorrhage. It is possible to find the cause of bleeding by identifying the source of it. Some of the causes include benign tumors in the esophagus, stomach, colon or the rectum, colon polyps, angiodysplasia which is an enlarged blood vessel in the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, diverticular disease and peptic ulcers.
Symptoms
The symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding are based on the location and the amount of bleeding that occurs. The blood loss can also cause iron deficiency anemia as several of the affected individuals have small amounts of blood lost in the stool which is not detected. The signs of bleeding in the upper digestive tract include the dark blood in the stool, tarry stool, dark vomit or the presence of blood in the vomit. The signs of lower digestive tract bleeding include tarry stool and the presence of blood in the stool. In the severe cases, the symptoms can include weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath and pallor.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding is possible with the evaluation of the individual’s medical history, a physical examination, family history and various diagnostic tests. During a physical examination, the physician will examine the entire body and listens to the sound of the abdomen using the stethoscope. An endoscopy is usually the initial step when bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract is suspected. During this procedure, the physician can examine the various organs of the upper gastrointestinal tract such as the stomach and the duodenum. When the bleeding is suspected to occur in the lower gastrointestinal tract, a colonoscopy will be performed. Additional diagnostic methods can include a stool test, blood test and an abdominal CT scan.
Treatment
The treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding is based on the cause and the location of the bleeding. When the individual has an active bleeding, this usually requires hospitalization. They will be evaluated for hypotension (low blood pressure), fast heart rate and light-headedness. In this case, the treatment will include IV fluids and to monitor the blood count. During the endoscopy or colonoscopy procedure, the physician can stop the bleeding by injecting the medications into the site of the bleeding or seal the affected site with a band. If infections or ulcer is the source of the problem, then various medications will be administered to treat the cause.
References
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gastrointestinal-bleeding/treatment
https://medlineplus.gov/gastrointestinalbleeding.html
http://wakegastro.com/gi-conditions/gastrointestinal-bleeding/
