Gastrointestinal bleeding in older people.

Aging is associated with an increased rate of comorbidity, greater medication use, and atypical clinical presentations. The aging of the population makes the evaluation and management of gastrointestinal bleeding in older people a special and increasingly common clinical challenge. The unique features and common causes of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding in older people are reviewed. Important management issues considered include hemodynamic resuscitation, anticoagulation, and endoscopic and surgical therapy.