Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (sometimes
upper GI,
UGI bleed,
Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage,
gastrorrhagia) is
gastrointestinal bleeding in the
upper gastrointestinal tract, commonly defined as bleeding arising from the
esophagus,
stomach, or
duodenum. Blood may be observed in
vomit (
hematemesis) or in altered form in the stool (
melena). Depending on the severity of the blood loss, there may be symptoms of
insufficient circulating blood volume and
shock. As a result, upper gastrointestinal bleeding is considered a
medical emergency and typically requires
hospital care for urgent diagnosis and treatment. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by
peptic ulcers,
gastric erosions,
esophageal varices, and some rarer causes such as
gastric cancer.