Common Causes of Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding

Upper GI tract

Duodenal ulcer (20–30%)

Gastric or duodenal erosions (20–30%)

Varices (15–20%)

Gastric ulcer (10–20%)

Mallory-Weiss tear (5–10%)

Erosive esophagitis (5–10%)

Angioma (5–10%)

Arteriovenous malformations (< 5%)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Hemobilia

Lower GI tract (percentages vary with the age group sampled)

Anal fissures

Angiodysplasia (vascular ectasia)

Colitis: Radiation, ischemic, infectious

Colonic carcinoma

Colonic polyps

Diverticular disease

Inflammatory bowel disease: Ulcerative proctitis/colitis, Crohn disease

Internal hemorrhoids

Small-bowel lesions (rare)

Angiomas

Arteriovenous malformations

Meckel diverticulum

Tumors