Treating Stomach Bleeding Outside the Hospital
Simple tests can identify low-risk patients suffering from stomach bleeding who can be treated as outpatients, keeping hospital beds clear and health costs low.
Stomach bleeding is a common reason for hospital visits. Four hospitals in the United Kingdom analyzed 676 patients with stomach bleeds using two tests — the Glasgow-Blatchford bleeding score (GBS) and Rockall score. When put to use in two of the hospitals, 22 percent of patients were found to be low-risk, of whom 68 percent were managed as outpatients without adverse events. The amount of people with stomach bleeds admitted to a hospital dropped from 96 percent to 71 percent.
"Our findings show that simple GBS low-risk criteria can identify a significant proportion of individuals presenting with upper-gastrointestinal hemorrhage who are suitable for outpatient management," study authors wrote. They conclude the test can reduce admissions without impacting patient care.
SOURCE: The Lancet, 2008
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