Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract is not a problem of aging, but it is a common problem in elderly patients. The bleeding may come from any site from the nose to the upper portions of the small intestine. Most often the problem is from the stomach, caused by either ulcerations in the stomach wall or gastritis (inflammation of the wall of the stomach). Other possible sources are bleeding duodenal ulcers, bleeding esophageal varices, or arteriovenous malformations. Much less frequently, cancer of the stomach or esophagus, nosebleeds, or bleeding from the lung is the cause.
Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract is not a problem of aging, but it is a common problem in elderly patients. The bleeding may come from any site from the nose to the upper portions of the small intestine. Most often the problem is from the stomach, caused by either ulcerations in the stomach wall or gastritis (inflammation of the wall of the stomach). Other possible sources are bleeding duodenal ulcers, bleeding esophageal varices, or arteriovenous malformations. Much less frequently, cancer of the stomach or esophagus, nosebleeds, or bleeding from the lung is the cause.
