Vomiting blood
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vomiting-blood/MY00571
Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
Vomiting blood (hematemesis) refers to significant amounts of blood in your vomit. Small streaks or flecks of blood in material you spit up or cough up isn't usually considered vomiting blood. Blood in vomit may be bright red, or it may appear black or dark brown like coffee grounds.
While vomiting blood may be caused by swallowed blood, as from a nosebleed or forceful coughing, truly vomiting blood usually represents something more serious and requires immediate medical attention. Bleeding in your upper gastrointestinal tract (mouth, esophagus, stomach and upper small intestine) from peptic ulcers or torn blood vessels is a common cause of vomiting blood. Call 911 if vomiting blood causes dizziness after standing, rapid, shallow breathing or other signs of shock.
Causes
Vomiting blood may be caused by:
- Acute liver failure
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Aspirin
- Benign tumors of the stomach or esophagus
- Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
- Defects in gastrointestinal tract blood vessels
- Dieulafoy's lesion (an artery that protrudes through the stomach wall)
- Duodenitis (inflammation in the first part of the small intestine)
- Esophageal cancer
- Esophageal varices (enlarged veins in the esophagus)
- Esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
- Gastric erosions (breakdown of tissue lining the stomach)
- Gastric varices (enlarged veins in the stomach)
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
- Mallory-Weiss tear (tear in the esophagus associated with pressure caused by vomiting or coughing)
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Peptic ulcer
- Portal hypertension (high blood pressure in the portal vein)
- Prolonged or vigorous vomiting
- Stomach cancer
In infants and young children, vomiting blood may also result from:
- Birth defects
- Blood clotting disorders
- Milk allergy
- Swallowed blood, such as from the nose
- Swallowed object
When to see a doctor
Call 911 or emergency medical assistance
Call 911 if vomiting blood causes signs and symptoms of shock, such as:
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Dizziness or lightheadedness after standing up
- Blurred vision
- Fainting
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Cold, clammy, pale skin
- Low urine output
Seek immediate medical attention
Ask someone to drive you to urgent care or the emergency room if you notice blood in your vomit or begin vomiting blood. It's important to quickly identify the underlying cause of the bleeding and prevent more severe blood loss and other complications.
- Hematemesis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed March 11, 2011.
- Bjorkman DJ. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage and occult gastrointestinal bleeding. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed March 11, 2011.
- Bleeding in the digestive tract. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bleeding/index.htm. Accessed March 11, 2011.
- Jutabha R, et al. Uncommon causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 11, 2011.
- Villa X. Approach to upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 11, 2011.
- Wilkinson JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 28, 2011.
Share on:
Find Mayo Clinic on