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hematemesis

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Also known as haematemesis, vomiting of blood, spit blood

Hematemesis is the vomiting of blood. It can be confused with hemoptysis (coughing up blood) or epistaxis (nosebleed), which are more common. The source is generally the upper gastrointestinal tract, typically above the suspensory muscle of duodenum. It may be caused by ulcers, tumors of the stomach or esophagus, varices, prolonged and vigorous retching, gastroenteritis, ingested blood (from bleeding in the mouth, nose, or throat), or certain drugs. However, this is not found in stomach viruses (norovirus, rotovirus, etc.)

Key facts

Medical condition (new).name
Hematemesis
Medical condition (new).synonyms
Haematemesis
Medical condition (new).field
General surgery, gastroenterology
Medical condition (new).symptoms
Vomiting bright blood
Medical condition (new).causes
Hemorrhoid Gastritis Gastrointestinal bleeding Stomach cancer Septicemic plague
Medical condition (new).diagnosis
Endoscopy
Medical condition (new).differential
Epistaxis, hemoptysis

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Research

6,186 papers

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NCI Thesaurus ID
C37964
ICPC 2 ID
D14
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~6 min read

Article

11 sections
Contents
  • Definition
  • Differential diagnosis
  • Mechanism
  • Evaluation
  • Management
  • Minimal blood loss
  • Significant blood loss
  • Techniques
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

Hematemesis is the vomiting of blood. It can be confused with hemoptysis (coughing up blood) or epistaxis (nosebleed), which are more common. The source is generally the upper gastrointestinal tract, typically above the suspensory muscle of duodenum. It may be caused by ulcers, tumors of the stomach or esophagus, varices, prolonged and vigorous retching, gastroenteritis, ingested blood (from bleeding in the mouth, nose, or throat), or certain drugs. However, this is not found in stomach viruses (norovirus, rotovirus, etc.)

Hematemesis is treated as a medical emergency, with treatments based on the amount of blood loss. Investigations include endoscopy. Any blood loss may be corrected with intravenous fluids and blood transfusions. Patients may need to avoid taking anything by mouth.

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