Hematemesis and melena: gastric ulcer.

Differences in distribution of age, hemoglobin values, location and number of ulcers, activities of gastric secretion, associated conditions, treatment and prognoses between bleeding and non-bleeding gastric ulcer patients were studied. The ages of bleeding patients were distributed more widely than those of non-bleeding patients and the number of patients over 70 years of age was greater in bleeding patients than in non-bleeding patients. Associated conditions of bleeding patients were more serious than those of non-bleeding patients and some bleeding patients showed coagulation disorders. Fifteen out of 17 bleeding patients were treated and well controlled surgically, and seven out of 62 bleeding patients who were treated medically died. In this study, the exact cause which made the difference between bleeding ulcers and non-bleeding ulcers could not be found. Bleeding ulcer patients with associated conditions did not always die directly from bleeding, but the bleeding decreased their general condition and, as a result, they died. Therefore, surgical treatment is the first choice in these patients if their conditions will tolerate such treatment.