What is gastrointestinal bleeding?
A person with gastrointestinal bleeding is bleeding from the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon or rectum. A person with upper gastrointestinal bleeding has bleeding from the esophagus, stomach or upper portion of the small intestine. A person with lower gastrointestinal bleeding has bleeding from the lower small intestine, colon or rectum. Common causes for gastrointestinal bleeding include peptic ulcer disease, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, angiodysplasia, and intestinal polyps.

What are the symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding?
Symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding include vomiting blood or coffee grounds-appearing material. Other symptoms include blood in the stool, black stool, rapid pulse, lightheadedness, fainting, pale skin, and other symptoms of anemia.

How does the doctor treat gastrointestinal bleeding?
The treatment for gastrointestinal bleeding depends on the underlying cause. Treatment for gastrointestinal bleeding may include intravenous fluids, blood transfusion, proton pump inhibitors, and upper GI and lower GI endoscopy to control bleeding. Surgery may be required in more severe cases that cannot be controlled with endoscopy.