Consecutive cases of gastrointestinal bleeding due to excessive alcohol consumption

Not only during holidays and parties, but the use of alcohol also tends to increase when summer comes. Although alcohol use has been warned a lot in the media, this situation is still happening at an alarming rate. It not only causes many bad consequences for the community and society but also seriously damages the health of the individual user.

Phu Tho continuously had gastrointestinal bleeding due to drinking too much beer and alcohol, picture 1 — Drinking too much alcohol can lead to complications of gastrointestinal bleeding. (Illustration photo).

According to Master. Doctor Le Thi Hong Nhung - Deputy Head of the Department of Internal Medicine Respiratory - Digestive, the department regularly receives patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. In the past 2 weeks alone (from the end of May to the beginning of June 2023), the Department of Internal Medicine Respiratory - Digestive, Phu Tho Provincial General Hospital has received 12 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding due to gastric and duodenal ulcers, esophageal varices, esophageal tears... all cases are related to long-term alcohol use, many patients were hospitalized in critical condition of severe bleeding.

In particular, the hospital said that a patient named Nguyen Chi H (63 years old, address Hung Hoa, Tam Nong, Phu Tho province) had a history of 8 gastrointestinal bleedings due to esophageal varices, 4 years of cirrhosis, regularly drank alcohol at home about 500ml per day, was hospitalized for vomiting blood at home, 1 liter of fresh blood and blood clots, and had black stools; the family brought the patient to the hospital with very pale skin and mucous membranes, and was in a state of hemorrhagic shock.

Phu Tho continuously had gastrointestinal bleeding due to drinking too much beer and alcohol, picture 2 — Red blood flowing from the gastric tube & Severe anemia test of a patient with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Doctors quickly conducted a clinical examination, performed diagnostic tests, concluded that the patient had gastrointestinal bleeding due to esophageal varices and ordered an emergency endoscopy.

After the clinical results, the doctors of the Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Gastroenterology treated the patient by placing a large intravenous line, oxygen therapy, intravenous fluid infusion, blood transfusion, placing a gastric tube to wash out approximately 1.5 liters of diluted blood, and providing emergency endoscopy. The results of the endoscopy showed that the patient had ruptured esophageal varices and the doctors treated the patient with rubber band ligation, successfully stopping the bleeding, reducing portal vein pressure, and supplementing the liver and vitamins. After treatment, the patient stopped bleeding and was clinically stable, and was treated medically according to the protocol.

Master. Doctor Nhung said that this is a common disease in the Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Digestive, however, during hot summer days when people consume a lot of beer and alcohol, the rate of patients hospitalized for this disease increases dramatically compared to normal days.

Thu Phuong

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