Examination of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Early endoscopy is the preferred method for detecting acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Early endoscopy can help to find the cause and location of gastrointestinal bleeding. If the patient has no obvious concomitant diseases and blood pressure is stable, endoscopy should be performed immediately after admission. The closer the endoscopy is to the bleeding time, the higher the probability of positive diagnosis. If endoscopy does not reveal the cause of the bleeding, an optional celiac or superior mesenteric artery angiogram, and an x-ray barium meal 36 to 48 hours after bleeding has stopped, can help detect acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.