Hematemesis
What is Hematemesis?
If a person begins to vomit blood, a serious condition known as hematemesis may be indicated. Hematemesis is a very dangerous condition in which a person bleeds internally, and vomits as a result. This condition requires immediate attention by a qualified physician. You need to consider this an emergency. It is very hard to tell if this is a life-threatening condition.
Symptoms that suggest a person may be bleeding internally include:
- brown or black vomit
- bowel movements that produce dark, tar-like stools
Hematemesis is considered a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.
There can be many causes of hematemesis, such as:
- bleeding ulcers
- prolonged and vigorous retching that causes tears in the esophageal mucosa (known as Mallory-Weiss Syndrome)
- gastric or intestinal varices
- vascular malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract
- tumors in the stomach or esophagus
- gastroenteritis, gastritis, or peptic ulcers can cause internal bleeding
- radiation exposure
- hemorrhagic fever
Other causes that may not be life-threatening include:
- oral surgery that may cause the swallowing of some blood
- some nose-bleeds cause blood to enter the digestive tract
- coughing hard and excessively
While these causes may not be life-threatening, it is difficult to determine the true cause of this condition.
Be prepared to tell your doctor important facts about this condition. The doctor may ask questions such as:
- Has this ever happened before?
- When did you first begin vomiting blood?
- How much blood did you vomit?
- Was the color bright red, or darker?
- What medical conditions do you have?
- What medicines do you take?
- Do you drink alcohol or smoke?
If a patient has minimal blood loss, medication is usually prescribed. If the blood loss is significant, fluids and or blood is administered.
Hematemesis is considered a medical emergency. The blood loss that a person may experience in an episode of hematemesis can be life threatening. The person could go into shock (known as hypovolemic shock) as a result of this bleeding, and possibly even die.
