Epidemiological and clinical characterization of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Abstract

Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhaging is characterized as the total blood los of the gastrointestinal tract above the angle of Treitz. A study on this subject was done on 168 patients admitted for upper gastrointestinal hemorrhaging in the Internal Medicine departamento of the National Hospital in Chiquimula, Guatemala from january 2013 to december 2017. The investigation was performed using data obtained from evidence, and the age group with the largest morbidity rates was between 60-75 years old with an average of 29% (49). Of all the patients admitted, 51% (85) were male, with a frequency of 2 cases for every 100 patients admitted intto the Internal Medicine department. Whit respect to the clinical findings presented, it was observed that the predominant symptoms included hematemesis, with an average of 79% (133), anemia with 71% (120) and abdominal pain with 70% (118). It was determine that the principal causes were alcoholism, with an average of 40% (68), hypertension with 23% (39), diabetes mellitus with 18% (30) and hepatopathy with 15% (26). The lifestyle habits found contributing to upper gastrointestinal hemorrhaging were smoking, with an average of 22% (37), use of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) with 7% (12) and prolonged fasting with 2% (3). The established treatment most prescribed was proton pump inhitors (PPIs); for example, omeprazole.