title: Modern-day management of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
abstract: Acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (AUGIH) is a common medical emergency and can present with life threatening haemorrhage. In the U.K., there are 70,000 hospital admissions per year. In the majority of cases, the aetiology is non-variceal in origin, but in other cases it is due to variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. It is also a leading indication for transfusion of blood components. This review explores recent randomised data on the efficacy and safety of red blood cell transfusion for AUGIH. In addition, the evidence base for use of other blood components and pro-haemostatic pharmacological agents is discussed, including acid suppression, antifibrinolytics and fibrinogen.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.|Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.|Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Canada.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jairath
authors.affiliation: NHS Blood and Transplant, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.|Department of Haematology, Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.|Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: M J R
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Desborough
mesh_terms: D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: gastrointestinal haemorrhage; management; red blood cell transfusion