Hematemesis

Vomiting of fresh or altered blood, typically originating from bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, indicating hemorrhage proximal to the ligament of Treitz.

Causes

• Inflammatory causes

  • Peptic ulcer disease

  • Gastritis

  • Esophagitis

  • Erosive gastroduodenal disease

• Vascular causes

  • Esophageal varices

  • Portal hypertensive gastropathy

  • Dieulafoy lesion

  • Angiodysplasia

• Mechanical and traumatic causes

  • Mallory-Weiss tear

  • Swallowed blood from nosebleeds or dental surgery

  • Post-procedural bleeding

• Medication-related causes

  • Anticoagulants

  • NSAIDs

  • Aspirin

• Malignant causes

  • Esophageal cancer

  • Gastric cancer

  • Pancreatic malignancy invading the gastrointestinal tract