[Nonvariceal acute upper digestive tract hemorrhage--therapeutic approach]

Nonvariceal acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage continues to be a frequent cause for hospital admission, consumes considerable financial resources and belongs to diagnoses associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite the progress in endoscopic and intensive care therapies the mortality remained unchanged. It results from the increasing number of high risk patients, namely the older ones with significant comorbidity. The cornerstone of therapeutical success is considered to be the adequate hemodynamic and ventilatory stability, initiation of pharmacotherapy with proton pump inhibitors and eventually somatostatin, and in particular, the early endoscopy using modern methods of hemostasis. In case of two unsuccessful endoscopic sessions the surgical approach is justified.