Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage: Early diagnostic approaches

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a very common clinical problem that frightens the patient, is one of the most serious problems facing the physician, and is one of the most challenging for the physician with regard to determining the specific site and cause and providing appropriate therapy. Mortality from massive gastrointestinal bleeding ranges from 5% to 50%. Many factors contribute to this high mortality including cause of bleeding, diagnostic errors in defining the source and site of bleeding, which may alter specific therapy, and failure to appreciate the situation as an emergent clinical problem, which could delay appropriate medical or surgical management.