Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in over 16s: management

Preventing upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients in critical care

In order to prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding, patients admitted to critical care should be offered drug treatment to reduce the amount of acid made by the stomach. These drugs, called H₂-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors, can help to prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding from the stomach.

The need for ongoing treatment should be reviewed when patients recover or are discharged from critical care.