[Gastrointestinal bleeding in intensive care]

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a frequent finding in intensive care unit (ICU) and has considerable morbidity particularly for the elderly. The most common etiology for upper digestive bleeding is the stress ulcer and for the lower bleeding the diverticular disease of the colon. The predictive risk factors for GIB are age, organ failure, mechanical ventilation and length of stay in ICU. Even though a 4.5 times increase in mortality is seen in these patients it cannot be directly correlated to the bleeding. Routine use of H2 inhibitors is effective only in high risk patients, opposing enteral nutrition which is valuable in all patients. Prophylactic measures resulted in a 50% decrease in incidence of GIB in ICU and also of the mortality. Most of the patients are now treated non-operatively.