Red blood cell transfusion in the cirrhotic patient with gastrointestinal bleeding

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common medical emergency and blood transfusions are often used in the resuscitation algorithm. The incidence of UGIB ranges from 50 to 150 per 100,000 adults per year (1,2). The most common causes of acute UGIB are peptic ulcer disease and oesophageal or gastric varices (3).