[Hemorrhage from the upper gastrointestinal tract as a cause of sudden death].

During the period from 1971 to 1988 there were 212 fatalities out of 24,822 obductions because of gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding from oesophagus varices was most often found, followed by bleeding from duodenal ulcer (16%), gastric ulcer (14%) and haemorrhagic gastritis (11%). The sex-ratio was 2:1 in favour of men. In most cases alcohol related problems were found (with organic diseases such as fat liver, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis as well as social deprivation, sometimes with acute alcoholization.