LIFESTYLE NEWS - It is important to know that there is no home care for heavy gastrointestinal bleeding.
Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is when bleeding occurs in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. GI bleeding itself is not a disease, but a symptom of any number of conditions.
The GI tract includes your oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon), rectum and anus. Any presence of blood in the stool (faeces) or in vomit is significant and needs to be evaluated in the emergency department.
Black or dark stools may represent slow bleeding and should be treated by a doctor. You may initially be diagnosed with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and will likely be referred to a gastroenterologist, a specialist in the digestive tract.
The outcome of treatment depends on several factors:
- The cause and location of the bleeding;
- The rate of bleeding when the person sees a doctor;
- Prior health problems and conditions;
- Maintenance of a proper diet and taking medication as directed.
The causes and risks are classified into upper or lower, depending on their location in the GI tract.
Causes of upper GI bleeding include:
- peptic ulcers,
- gastritis (bleeding in the stomach),
- oesophageal varices,
- cancers and
- inflammation of the GI lining from ingested materials.
Causes of lower GI bleeding include:
- diverticulitis
- gastrointestinal cancers,
- inflammatory bowel disease,
- infectious diarrhoea,
- angiodysplasia,
- polyps,
- haemorrhoids and
- anal fissures.
GI bleeding can usually be diagnosed by a digital rectal exam, an endoscopy or colonoscopy, and lab tests. Treatment for GI bleeding usually includes hospitalisation because blood pressure may drop and the heart rate may increase and needs to be stabilised. In some cases, IV fluids or blood transfusions are needed, and surgery may be required.
The prognosis for a person with this condition depends on the cause and location of the bleeding, how bad it is and any underlying medical conditions that may affect the patient’s recovery.
A doctor will perform a complete history and physical exam to evaluate the patient’s problem.
The doctor may include a digital rectal exam to test for visible or microscopic blood from the rectum. Lab tests, such as a full blood count, serum chemistries, liver tests and coagulation studies also can be helpful to determine the rate or severity of bleeding and any factors that may contribute to the problem.
The doctor may need to perform a procedure called an endoscopy or a colonoscopy. An endoscope is a long tube with a tiny camera at the end. It is passed into the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. A colonoscopy refers to the passing of a tube with a tiny camera through the rectum into the colon to see the source of bleeding. Both procedures can be diagnostic, finding the source of bleeding, and therapeutic, stopping it.
People can prevent some causes of gastrointestinal bleeding. Avoid foods and triggers, such as alcohol and smoking, that increase gastric secretions. Eat a high-fibre diet to increase the bulk of the stool, which helps prevent diverticulosis and haemorrhoids.
Signs and symptoms
Acute gastrointestinal bleeding will appear as vomiting of blood, bloody bowel movements or black, tarry stools. Vomited blood from bleeding in the stomach mayook like “coffee grounds.”
Symptoms associated with blood loss can include:
- fatigue
- weakness
- shortness of breath
- abdominal pain
- pale appearance
Treatment
It is important to know that there is no home care for heavy gastrointestinal bleeding. A person should go to a hospital’s emergency department if they have heavy gastrointestinal bleeding.
Haemorrhoids or anal fissures may be treated with a diet high in fibre; fluids to keep stools soft may be helpful and stool softeners if necessary. Serious GI bleeding can cause a patient’s blood pressure to fall sharply and his heart rate may increase.
The doctor may need to resuscitate the patient with intravenous fluids and possibly a blood transfusion. In some cases, the patient may need surgery.
For an upper GI bleed, patients may be given intravenous acid suppressors). If a large amount of blood is in the upper GI tract, patients may be given medications that help clear the stomach of blood, clots or food residue before an endoscopy procedure to clear the stomach.
Antibiotics may be given in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.
