gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding

Bleeding associated with gastric and duodenal ulcers is one of the common causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding results from erosion or rupture of blood vessels by the ulcer. When capillaries are damaged, only occult blood is detected on stool examination; when larger vessels are damaged, melena and hematemesis occur. Generally, symptoms worsen before bleeding, and upper abdominal pain is alleviated or disappears after bleeding.