National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Gastrointestinal Bleeding is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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National Institutes of Health
Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Also called: GI bleeding
Your digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, rectum and anus. Bleeding can come from one or more of these areas. The amount of bleeding can be so small that only a lab test can find it.
GI bleeding is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease. There are many possible causes of GI bleeding, including
- Hemorrhoids
- Peptic ulcers
- Tears or inflammation in the esophagus
- Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
- Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease
- Colonic polyps
- Cancer in the colon, stomach or esophagus
The test used most often to look for the cause of GI bleeding is called endoscopy. It uses a flexible instrument inserted through the mouth or rectum to view the inside of the GI tract. A type of endoscopy called colonoscopy looks at the large intestine.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Start Here
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Bleeding in the Digestive Tract(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Bleeding in the Digestive Tract
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- GI bleeding - slideshow
- Also available in Spanish
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Latest News
- Study Assesses Blood Thinner Use After Gastrointestinal Bleeding(09/17/2012, HealthDay)
- Adding Plavix to Aspirin Doesn't Help Guard Against Second Stroke(08/29/2012, HealthDay)
- Daily Aspirin May Cut Cancer Deaths, Another Study Finds(08/10/2012, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Abdominal Pain, Long-Term(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Abdominal Pain, Short-Term(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Capsule Endoscopy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Fecal Occult Blood Test and Fecal Immunochemical Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Lower GI Series (Barium Enema)(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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MedlinePlus: Colonoscopy(National Library of Medicine)
- Also available in Spanish
- Small Bowel Bleeding and Capsule Endoscopy(American College of Gastroenterology)
- Also available in Spanish
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Upper GI Endoscopy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Specific Conditions
- Esophageal Varices(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Proctitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Proctitis(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Rectal Bleeding(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Understanding Minor Rectal Bleeding(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
- Also available in Spanish
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Related Issues
- Aspirin and NSAIDS(American College of Gastroenterology)
- Stool Color: When to Worry(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Vomiting Blood(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Health Check Tools
- Abdominal Pain(DSHI Systems)
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Tutorials
- Upper GI Endoscopy(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Anatomy/Physiology
- Atlas of Human Body: Digestive System(American Medical Association)
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Your Digestive System and How It Works(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: On call. I have suffered with bleeding hemorrhoids for many...
- Article: The efficacy of PPI after endoscopic hemostasis in patients with...
- Article: Banding ligation versus beta-blockers for primary prevention in oesophageal varices...
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding -- see more articles
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Colorectal (Colon) Cancer: Glossary(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Directories
- ASGE: Find a Doctor(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
- Find a Gastroenterologist(American College of Gastroenterology)
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Organizations
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Children
- Bloody Stools in Children (Beyond the Basics)(UpToDate)
- Stool Tests(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Upper GI Bleeding in Children(North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
- Bleeding esophageal varices
- Also available in Spanish
- Bloody or tarry stools
- Also available in Spanish
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Also available in Spanish
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Lower GI Series(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Mallory-Weiss tear
- Also available in Spanish
- Mesenteric angiography
- Also available in Spanish
- Vomiting blood
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Gastrointestinal Bleeding - Multiple Languages
