From the Guidelines
The primary sources of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding are peptic ulcer disease, Mallory-Weiss tears, esophagitis, and neoplastic lesions.
Causes of Upper GI Bleeding
- Peptic ulcer disease: caused by Helicobacter pylori infection or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, is the most common cause of non-variceal UGIB 1
- Mallory-Weiss tears: a tear in the mucous membrane or lining of the lower end of the esophagus, where it connects to the stomach 1
- Esophagitis: inflammation of the esophagus, often caused by acid reflux or infection 1
- Neoplastic lesions: tumors or cancerous growths in the upper GI tract 1
Other Causes
- Gastroduodenal erosions: erosions in the stomach or duodenum, often caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use or stress 1
- Varices: enlarged veins in the esophagus or stomach, often caused by liver disease 1
- Vascular malformations: abnormal blood vessels in the upper GI tract, which can cause bleeding 1
- Rare causes: such as hemobilia, hemosuccus pancreaticus, and aortoenteric fistula 1 It's worth noting that the incidence and mortality rates of UGIB have been declining in recent years, but it remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, with mortality rates as high as 14% 1.
From the Research
Primary Sources of Upper GI Bleeding
The primary sources of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding are:
- Gastric ulcer 2, 3
- Duodenal ulcer 2, 3
- Esophageal varices 2, 3
- Mallory-Weiss tear 2
- Erosive esophagitis 3
Common Causes of Upper GI Bleeding
The most common causes of upper GI bleeding are:
- Ulcers (peptic ulcers, gastric ulcers, and duodenal ulcers) 2, 3
- Varices (esophageal varices) 2, 3
- Other causes such as erosive esophagitis, and Mallory-Weiss tear 2, 3
Clinical Outcomes
Clinical outcomes related to the source of upper GI bleeding include: