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Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

upper gi bleeding scores

Upper GI Bleed (UGI Bleed) Scoring : Mnemonics

Epomedicine, Nov 22, 2017Jul 28, 2023

Last updated on July 28, 2023

upper gi bleeding scores

Blatchford Score

Blatchford score is recommended by NICE for 1st assessment.

Admission risk markerScore component value
Blood Urea (mg/dL)
18.2-22.42
22.4-283
28-704
>706
Haemoglobin (g/L) for men
12.0-12.91
10.0-11.93
10.06
Haemoglobin (g/L) for women
10.0-11.91
10.06
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)
100–1091
90–992
903
Other markers
Pulse ≥100 (per min)1
Presentation with melaena1
Presentation with syncope2
Hepatic disease2
Cardiac failure2
BUN (mg/dl) = Urea (mg/dl) / 2.14

Score is equal to “0” if the following are all present:

Mnemonic: A-B-C-D-E-F

  • Active patients with syncope or who have melena
  • BUN – elevation of ≥ 6.5 mg/dL
  • Circulation – systolic blood pressure of ≥ 110 mm Hg
  • Drop” in hemoglobin – for men and women, this is ≤ 12.9 g/dL and ≤ 11.9 g/dL, respectively
  • Elevated” – pulse rate ≥ 100 pulses/min
  • Failure – cardiovascular or liver disease

Score interpretation:

  1. 0: Low risk
  2. >0: High risk (medical intervention, transfusion, endoscopy or surgery)
  3. 8 or more: ICU admission

Clinical Rockall Score

1. Age (years):

  • <60: 0
  • 60-79: 1
  • ≥80: 2

2. Shock:

  • HR >100/min: 1
  • SBP <100 mmHg, Ischemic heart disease, Congestive heary failure, any major comorbidity: 2
  • Renal failure, Liver failure, Metastatic malignancy: 3

Score >0 is regarded as high risk.

Rockall Score

Rockall score must be assessed pre-endoscopy and post-endoscopy.

Clinical + Endoscopic findings

Mnemonic: ABCDE

VariableScore 0Score 1Score 2Score 3
Age<6060- 79>80 
BPNo shockPulse >100
BP >100 Systolic
SBP <100 
Co-morbidityNil major CHF, IHD, major morbidityRenal failure, liver failure, metastatic cancer
DiagnosisMallory-WeissAll other diagnosesGI malignancy 
Evidence of bleedingNone Blood, adherent clot, spurting vessel 

A score less than 3 carries good prognosis but total score more than 8 carries high risk of mortality.

Forrest Classification (Endoscopic)

Forrest ClassificationRebleeding IncidenceSurgical RequirementIncidence of Death
Type I: Active Bleed
Ia: Spurting Bleed
Ib: Oozing Bleed
55-100%35%11%
Type II: Recent Bleed
Ila: Non-Bleeding Visible Vessel (NBVV)
Ilb: Adherent Clot
40-50%34%11%
20-30%10%7%
Type III: Lesion without Bleeding
Flat Spot
Clean Base
10%6%3%
5%0.5%2%

Medications used in Upper GI Bleeding:

Omeprazole: 80 mg bolus of omeprazole intravenously, followed by 8 mg/hr for 3 days.

Octreotide: Octreotide therapy should be empirically administered in patients with GIB and significant liver disease, a history of variceal bleeding, a history of alcoholism, or highly abnormal liver function tests. The recommended dose of octreotide is a 50-μg bolus followed by 50 μg/hr intravenously.

Source: Rosen’s Emergency Medicine Concept and Clinical Practice – 8th edition

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Emergency Medicine Emergency medicineGastrointestinal systemGeneral SurgeryInternal medicine

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Epomedicine. Upper GI Bleed (UGI Bleed) Scoring : Mnemonics [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2017 Nov 22 [cited 2025 May 12]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/emergency-medicine/risk-stratification-upper-gi-bleeding/.

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