A 34-year-old construction worker presents to his Primary Care Provider PCP with a chief complaint of passing foul smelling dark tarry stools

A 34-year-old construction worker presents to his Primary Care Provider PCP with a chief complaint of passing foul smelling dark tarry stools

A 34-year-old construction worker presents to his Primary Care Provider (PCP) with a chief complaint of passing foul smelling dark, tarry stools. He stated the first episode occurred last week, but it was only a small amount after he had eaten a dinner of beets and beef. The episode today was accompanied by nausea, sweating, and weakness. He states he has had some mid epigastric pain for several weeks and has been taking OTC antacids. The most likely diagnosis is upper GI bleed which won’t be confirmed until further endoscopic procedures are performed.

Question:

What factors can contribute to an upper GI bleed?