Coffee ground vomitus refers to a particular appearance of
vomit. Within organic
heme molecules of
red blood cells is the element
iron, and when this iron has been exposed for some time to
gastric acid, it becomes
oxidized. This reaction causes the vomitus to look like ground
coffee. Coffee-ground vomitus is a classic sign of upper gastro-intestinal bleeding. A
peptic ulcer, for example, may bleed into the stomach and produce coffee-ground vomitus. There are many causes that can result in this reaction, with use of
NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) and
SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) being particularly common. These drugs can interfere with the stomach's natural defenses against the strongly acidic environment, causing damage to the mucosa that can result in bleeding. Therefore it is recommended that these class of drugs should be taken with food or on a full stomach. Certain types of illnesses, however, can cause this type of vomiting, and in these cases medical attention is required immediately.