UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING

Course overview

UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING (UGIB) IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS ESTIMATED TO OCCUR IN 80 TO 150 OUT OF 100,000 PEOPLE EACH YEAR. ESTIMATED MORTALITY RATES ARE BETWEEN 2 AND 15 PERCENT. UGIB IS DESCRIBED AS BLOOD LOSS FROM A GASTROINTESTINAL SOURCE ABOVE THE LIGAMENT OF TREITZ. IT CAN MANIFEST AS HEMATEMESIS, WHICH CAN BE BRIGHT RED EMESIS OR COFFEE-GROUND EMESIS, HEMATOCHEZIA, OR MELENA. PATIENTS MAY ALSO PRESENT WITH SYMPTOMS SECONDARY TO BLOOD LOSS, SUCH AS SYNCOPAL EPISODES, FATIGUE, AND WEAKNESS. UGIB CAN BE ACUTE, OCCULT, OR OBSCURE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE RISK FACTORS, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ENHANCING CARE DELIVERY FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.