What does GIB mean in MEDICAL

Several factors can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, including ulcers in the stomach or small intestine, certain medications, inflammatory bowel disease, colon polyps and tumors, cirrhosis of the liver, parasites or other infections in the gastrointestinal tract, or even more serious problems such as cancer.

Symptoms may include black stools (indicating digested blood in the stool), vomiting or coughing up bright red blood (indicating actively bleeding from upper GI tract like esophagus or stomach), abdominal pain or cramping, bloody vomit (hematemesis), dizziness or lightheadedness due to low blood pressure, weakness or fatigue due to loss of blood.

Diagnostic procedures for determining GI tract bleeding include endoscopy/colonoscopy to examine the lining of the stomach or colon; CT scan with contrast dye; capsule endoscopy which involves ingesting a capsule camera so that images can be taken; barium enema x-rays which involve taking x-rays after a barium solution has been swallowed; and angiography which uses injectable dyes to detect any source of bleeding in the intestines.

Depending on the cause and severity of gastrointestinal bleeding treatment may include medications to control acid production such as proton pump inhibitors; antispasmodic drugs if spasms are present; antibiotics when infection is present; clotting agents for actively bleeding areas; angiographic embolization can stop larger bleeds from more advanced cancers; surgery for large tumors obstructing gastric outflow that do not respond to medical therapy; chemotherapy and radiation for cancer treatment. In cases where massive hemorrhage occurs and cannot be stopped medically then surgical intervention may be needed to resect any sections where uncontrollable hemorrhage is occurring.