Gastrointestinal bleeding/Gut blood loss

Haematemesis is defined as vomiting blood. Commonly this has a ‘coffee'-ground’ appearance due to the blood being partially digested. The blood can also appear bright red. Appearance of the blood depends on the cause.

In the absence of underlying liver disease, common causes include inflammation of the gullet, stomach or duodenum, bleeding from lesions caused by frequent or vigorous vomiting, or swallowed blood from the throat, nosebleeds or upper airways.

For other types of GI bleeding, see Rectal Bleeding.

Anaemia

Anaemia is defined as low levels of Haemoglobin (the protein which carries oxygen in the blood). Haemoglobin is carried in red blood cells, and travels around the circulatory system, picking up oxygen in the lungs and depositing it in tissued that need it.

Anaemia is a common condition with a large variety of causes, one of which managed by gastroenterologists is GI bleeding, causing a loss of blood and therefore not enough haemoglobin is present in the circulation. Common other gastroenterological causes are iron deficiency, caused by either lack of or inadequate composition of iron in the diet, or by insufficient uptake from the gut due to bowel conditions, such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, or chronic infections.