Upper and Lower GI Bleeding

Digestive disorders account for more than 35 million physician office visits per year and also serve as the primary reason for more than 20 million surgical procedures each year. GI bleeding refers to any bleeding that starts in the gastrointestinal tract. Bleeding may come from any site along the GI tract but is often divided into upper GI bleeding, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, and lower GI bleeding, which includes much of the small intestine, large intestine, or bowels, rectum and anus. Bleeding in the digestive tract is a symptom of a disease rather than a disesease itself. Most causes of bleeding are related to conditions that can be cured or controlled, such as ulcers or hemorrhoids, but some causes of bleeding may be life threatening. This was presented at the 2012 annual American Association for Primary Care Endoscopy CME Conference in San Francisco, CA by Dr. Thomas A. Kintanar.