What are the symptoms of gastric bleeding

Gastric bleeding is what people often call gastrointestinal bleeding. It is a relatively serious emergency. The symptoms of gastric bleeding are multifaceted. Severe patients have heavy bleeding and are accompanied by fever. Ignoring the treatment of gastric bleeding can easily worsen or even be life-threatening.

1. Azotemia

If gastric bleeding occurs, azotemia may occur.

2. Fever

In cases of moderate or massive bleeding, fever occurs within 24 hours, mostly below 38.5 degrees, and lasts for several days to a week.

3. Vomiting blood and/or black stools

It is a characteristic manifestation of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with bleeding above the pylorus often experience vomiting blood and black stools, while patients with bleeding below the pylorus may only experience black stools. However, lesions above the pylorus with a small amount of bleeding and a slow bleeding rate may only cause black stools, while lesions below the pylorus with a large amount of bleeding and a fast bleeding rate may cause vomiting of blood due to the reflux of blood into the stomach.

4. Anemia and blood picture changes

After acute massive hemorrhage, there will be hemorrhagic anemia. In the early stage of bleeding, there may be no obvious changes in hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count and hematocrit. Generally, it takes more than 3 to 4 hours for anemia to appear. After 2 to 5 hours of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding, the white blood cell count may increase significantly, and will return to normal 2 to 3 days after the bleeding stops. However, in patients with cirrhosis and hypersplenism, the white blood cell count may not increase.

5. Hemorrhagic peripheral circulatory failure

Bleeding within 400ml may be asymptomatic, while moderate bleeding may cause anemia or progressive anemia, dizziness, weakness, and sudden standing up may cause syncope, thirst, cold limbs, and low blood pressure. Massive bleeding reaching 30% to 50% of the total blood volume can cause shock, which is manifested as irritability or confusion, pale complexion, cold and clammy limbs, cyanosis of the lips, difficulty breathing, blood pressure dropping to unmeasurable levels, decreased pulse pressure difference, and a rapid and weak pulse. If not handled properly, it can lead to death.