[Electrocardiographic changes related to acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage].
BACKGROUND
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common cause of medical attention, with a mortality in Mexico of 8.5%. Our main objective was to determine the association of this pathology with cardiac conduction disturbances and other clinical variables.


METHODS
We reviewed the electrocardiograms and files of patients attended for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding at the Internal Medicine Service of the National Medical Center "20 de Noviembre", they must have had a previous normal electrocardiogram; excluding those with severe hemorrhage, this means, presented with hypotension managed with intravenous fluids and/or vasoactive drugs. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS10 program.


CONCLUSIONS
56 patients were included, 34 women and 22 men; 60.7% were older than 70 years. We report an association between acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding and electrocardiographic changes, principally right bundle branch block in 30.35% of cases.
Gamboa Ortiz
F A
FA
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Angeles de Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. mdfago@yahoo.com.mx
Mendieta Zerón
H
H
Montaño Estrada
L F
LF
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies