What should you know about liver failure vomiting blood?

Blood may look bright red, dark brown, or like coffee grounds. Black, tarry stools can also indicate bleeding higher in the digestive system. Liver disease can cause pressure to build in veins around the food pipe and stomach. Fragile veins may then bleed. Other causes include stomach inflammation, an ulcer, a tear after forceful retching, or a separate digestive condition. Vomiting blood does not by itself identify cancer; conditions such as Oesophageal Cancer and Stomach Cancer are among the diagnoses a clinical team may consider alongside more common causes.

Call emergency services or go to an emergency department immediately. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint, confused, weak, or short of breath. Keep a sample or photograph of the vomit if this can be done safely, and note medicines such as blood thinners or anti-inflammatory painkillers. Do not eat or drink until a clinician advises you, because tests or treatment may be needed quickly. Bring your medicine list and details of known liver disease.

Seek emergency help for any vomiting of blood, even if it stops. Call immediately for fainting, rapid breathing, cold or clammy skin, new confusion, severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, black stools, or yellowing that is worsening. These signs can accompany substantial blood loss or a serious change in liver function. Do not wait for a routine appointment.

What is the suspected source of bleeding? Do I need an endoscopy or scans? Could my liver disease have raised pressure in nearby veins? Which medicines should I stop or avoid? How will you monitor blood counts, clotting, and liver function? What warning signs should prompt a return to hospital?