Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Gastrointestinal bleeding is the symptom of vomiting up of blood or bleeding from the rectum.
• Gastrointestinal bleeding can come from the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, 
colon or rectum.
• Gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by:
· anal fissures
· arterial vascular malformation ( malformed blood vessels in the stomach or intestine
· aspirin use
· Celiac Disease (Nontropical sprue)
· colitis (inflammation or infection of the colon)
· colon cancer
· colonic polyp
· esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
· gastritis (stomach inflammation)
· hemorrhoids
· stomach ulcer
· stomach cancer
· Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) such as Ibuprofen (Advil/Mortin), Naprosyn (Aleve), Diclofenac
• Gastrointestinal bleeding should always be evaluated by your doctor
Posted on December 16, 2008
