What is the most appropriate management for a 60-year-old female with maroon-colored stool, pallor, and tachycardia?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the most appropriate management for a 60-year-old female patient who presented with significant symptoms of possible gastrointestinal bleeding, characterized by maroon-colored stool, pallor, and tachycardia, along with an examination suggestive of a non-tender abdomen.
Answer
Urgent endoscopy referral to investigate potential gastrointestinal bleeding.
The final answer is the patient should be urgently referred for endoscopy to investigate the maroon-colored stool and rule out conditions such as gastrointestinal bleeding.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is the patient should be urgently referred for endoscopy to investigate the maroon-colored stool and rule out conditions such as gastrointestinal bleeding.
More Information
Maroon-colored stool can indicate bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The combination of this symptom with pallor and tachycardia suggests potential blood loss, necessitating urgent investigation through procedures like endoscopy.
Tips
A common mistake is assuming maroon-colored stool might not require urgent medical attention, but it can indicate a serious condition requiring immediate evaluation.
Sources
- Rectal Bleeding > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine - yalemedicine.org
AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify critical information
