When assessing for a GI bleed, which vital sign change would be expected?

When assessing for a gastrointestinal (GI) bleed, an increased heart rate is a significant vital sign change that can be expected. This is primarily because a GI bleed can lead to a decrease in blood volume due to blood loss. As the body tries to compensate for this loss to maintain adequate blood flow to vital organs, the heart rate increases to ensure that enough blood is circulating. A higher heart rate, known as tachycardia, can be an early indicator of hypovolemia and the body's effort to maintain perfusion.

Other vital signs may also change in response to a GI bleed, but the primary change that indicates the body's compensatory mechanism is the increased heart rate. For example, blood pressure might actually decrease due to the loss of circulating blood volume, contradicting increased blood pressure. While respiratory rate may also increase in response to stress or the need for better oxygenation, it is the heart rate that most directly signals the compensatory response to a loss of blood volume in the context of a GI bleed.