Can upper gastrointestinal bleeding be cured?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua

Gastroenterology

Updated on May 23, 2025

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Gastrointestinal bleeding, especially lower gastrointestinal bleeding, is a common and urgent condition in gastroenterology. It is relatively common clinically, and generally has good treatment outcomes. However, due to different causes, the treatment efficacy and methods may vary. For upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by different reasons, the prognosis also varies. For example, upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by gastric ulcers generally responds well to medical treatment and usually can be cured. However, if considering upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by gastric tumors, particularly gastric cancer common among the general population, the treatment outcome may not be as favorable. Besides surgery and chemotherapy, the five-year survival rate is relatively higher, but for advanced-stage gastric tumors, the treatment efficacy is generally poorer and the prognosis is relatively worse.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei

Pulmonology

1min

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Why does pulmonary heart disease cause upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Cor pulmonale is a very common type of heart disease in the clinic, mainly caused by various etiologies leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension, which results in right ventricular hypertrophy. Typically, patients with this disease have underlying pulmonary and cardiac lesions, and it mainly causes symptoms of varying degrees, such as fever, cough, expectoration, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and even difficulty breathing. Cor pulmonale is a complex disease, and if not managed properly in clinical practice, it can lead to many complications, especially respiratory failure and heart failure. This can lead to insufficient blood and oxygen supply, causing various degrees of increased pressure in the gastric vessels or vascular spasms due to hypoxia, all of which can cause patients to experience upper gastrointestinal bleeding during severe coughing, or when consuming certain foods.

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Written by Wang Li Bing

Intensive Care Medicine Department

1min 9sec

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Is upper gastrointestinal bleeding dangerous?

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is life-threatening if the amount and speed of bleeding are substantial. Therefore, proactive and effective measures should be taken to rescue the patient. Generally, after anti-shock treatment and rapid blood volume replenishment, the patient's life can be saved. The main clinical treatment measures include the following: First, keep the patient in a recumbent position at rest, ensure that the airway is clear, and prevent blood aspiration due to vomiting. Second, during the bleeding period, it is necessary to enforce fasting, closely monitor the patient's vital signs, such as heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, consciousness, etc. Third, after hospitalization, it is crucial to actively replenish blood volume, such as transfusing compatible red blood cells, plasma, cryoprecipitate, etc., for fluid expansion. Drugs like proton pump inhibitors and octreotide can be used for hemostasis. If conditions permit, a gastroscopy can be performed to stop the bleeding, and surgical treatment may be considered if necessary.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu

Gastroenterology

51sec

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Does upper gastrointestinal bleeding always result in black stools and vomiting blood?

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding does not necessarily result in black stools or vomiting of blood. If the bleeding is very minor, such as less than 5ml, there will be no black stools or vomiting blood, and the bleeding can only be detected through a fecal occult blood test which shows a positive result. If the bleeding amounts to about 50ml, vomiting blood may not occur, but black stools can be present. If the bleeding reaches about 200ml and occurs rapidly, both vomiting of blood and black stools may occur simultaneously. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common and critical condition in gastroenterology that requires standardized treatment measures. The first step is to conduct a thorough gastroscopic examination, followed by measures to suppress gastric acid production and protect the gastric mucosa.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua

Gastroenterology

1min 34sec

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What medicine is used to stop bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract?

Pharmacological treatment for upper gastrointestinal bleeding may include aggressive fluid resuscitation to improve symptoms of hypovolemia, transfusion of red blood cells when necessary to correct anemia, and the use of acid-suppressive and gastroprotective medications to prevent further bleeding. Common causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding include gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and even vascular anomalies. Therefore, in the early stages, it is advisable to choose acid-suppressive and gastroprotective medications to treat common causes such as gastric ulcers and gastritis, which lead to bleeding. The main symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are vomiting blood or bleeding from the bowels. In severe cases, the patient may also experience dizziness and fatigue due to low blood volume. For such patients, once the condition stabilizes, it is important to conduct routine blood tests, electrocardiography, and gastroscopy to identify the specific cause of the bleeding. Different causes require different treatment approaches. If the bleeding is suspected to be caused by a tumor, pharmacological treatment may not be very effective, and surgical intervention might be more appropriate. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua

Gastroenterology

1min 15sec

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Estimating the bleeding amount in upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is relatively common in clinical practice, generally manifesting as vomiting blood or defecating blood; typically, the amount of blood vomited is larger while the quantity of blood in stool is less. It can generally be assessed by the following indicators: First, the situation of vomiting blood and blood in stool; second, the change in hemoglobin; third, the change in blood pressure. It is generally believed that if there is a problem with blood pressure, such as low blood pressure, the bleeding is usually significant. Second, by measuring the change in hemoglobin, it is generally considered that a decrease of 10g/L in hemoglobin corresponds to an estimated blood loss of around 400ml; of course, clinically, mild to moderate anemia is especially common. The appearance of vomited blood, generally considered to be more than 250ml, can be accompanied by vomiting and melena, which are commonly seen clinically, whether the bleeding is from the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract.