Vomiting bright red blood, due to bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
A condition in which someone vomits blood, usually because of internal bleeding.
Haematemesis means the vomiting of blood. Blood brought up from the stomach is generally dark in colour and may have been so far digested as to form small brown granules resembling coffee grounds. Vomiting of blood is one of the main symptoms of peptic ulcer, but it may occur in gastritis, from varicocoeles in the oesophagus or, rarely, in cancer of the stomach. Gastritis caused by an irritant polson, sustained intake of alcohol, or the regular use of certain drugs such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may cause bleeding. Blood may also originate from the nose and throat, be swallowed and then vomited. Persistent small haematemeses or a sudden severe bleed are potentially serious medical emergencies, and the patient should be referred urgently to hospital.