Hospitalizations for Gastrointestinal Bleeding in 1998 and 2006. Statistical Brief No. 65

摘要

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding involves any bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, to the anus. The degree of bleeding can range from microscopic levels detected only by lab tests, to noticeable amounts of bleeding that can be seen in the stool or vomit. However, any level of bleeding can lead to serious problems. Microscopic levels of bleeding can lead to anemia over time, and more massive amounts of bleeding can lead to death. Upper GI bleeding involves bleeding from the mouth to the duodenum, the portion of the small intestine just beyond the stomach. Common causes of upper GI bleeding include ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory oral medications, and alcoholism. Lower GI bleeding involves bleeding from the small intestines to the anus and can be caused by hemorrhoids, cancer, polyps, and colitis, among other causes. In this Statistical Brief we examine the trend in hospitalizations for GI bleeding between 1998 and 2006. This Statistical Brief presents national estimates of GI bleeding hospitalizations from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) for 1998 and 2006.