Many With Upper GI Bleeding Can Avoid Hospital

A new study shows that many people with bleeding in the upper GI tract can safely be treated without a hospital stay. That’s according to an article in an upcoming issue of The Lancet. About 103 to 172 people per 100,000 land in the hospital each year for stomach bleeding. This study tested the use of a guideline called the Glasgow-Blatchford bleeding score. It includes a few office and lab tests. People who scored at low-risk were safely managed as outpatients. In the study, the use of the guideline lowered hospital admissions for stomach bleeding from 96% to 71%.