throwing up blood

My husband has been throwing up blood not coughing up blood, sorry. Can you tell me what this could be?

[Ratnakar ., MD]

Hi,
As mentioned earlier, throwing up blood could be due to diseases involving the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.

The two common conditions are peptic ulcer disease and esophageal/gastric varices.

Peptic ulcer disease is due to H.pylori infection and use of NSAIDs (painkillers).

Esophageal /gastric varices are secondary to liver disease with increased pressure in its blood system. The causes include alcohol consumption, hepatitis viral diseases etc.

The first test that needs to be done is an upper GI endoscopy which will show the cause of bleeding. The subsequent management depends on the cause of bleeding.
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The information provided is for patients’ education only and is not a medical advice. Always consult your personal physician for complete evaluation of your health problem.
- Ratnakar Kini M.D.