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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
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Australian Prescriber Vol. 28 No. 3 2005
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Vomiting blood or passing a black tarry bowel motion is a sign of bleeding into the gut. If this bleeding is heavy it can be life-threatening. Most patients therefore need to be assessed at a hospital.
Patients need an internal examination (endoscopy) to find out where the bleeding is coming from. Often the bleeding comes from an ulcer, but it can be the result of liver disease.
The treatment depends on the cause of the bleeding. If the cause is an ulcer, medication can help to reduce the risk of repeated bleeding.
To reduce the risk of bleeding the patient may be asked to stop smoking and drinking alcohol. They are also usually advised to avoid medicines, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, which can cause ulcers.
