You are assessing a patient who presents with hematemesis, dark stools, frequent diarrhea, and orthostatic vital signs. These signs and symptoms support a high index of suspicion for which of the following?
Explanation
Answer: B - A patient who complains of hematemsis, dark stools, frequent diarrhea, and presents with orthostatic vital signs is showing signs of an upper GI hemorrhage. Common causes of this are peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, esophagitis, tumors, and esophageal varices.