Gastroenterology: practice question

A General Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Medicine · Gastroenterology

Sample item

What stool appearance can indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Melena

Melena is black tarry stool caused by digestion of blood in the gastrointestinal tract and can signal significant upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Option by option

  • A. Melena (correct)

    Correct: digested blood produces black tarry melena.

  • B. Bright green stool

    Bright green stool is not the classic digested-blood appearance.

  • C. Normal formed stool

    Normal stool does not indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

  • D. Clay-colored stool only

    Clay-colored stool suggests reduced bile pigment.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Medicine questions

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Melena. Melena is black tarry stool caused by digestion of blood in the gastrointestinal tract and can signal significant upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Why is "Bright green stool" not the answer?

Bright green stool is not the classic digested-blood appearance.

Why is "Normal formed stool" not the answer?

Normal stool does not indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Why is "Clay-colored stool only" not the answer?

Clay-colored stool suggests reduced bile pigment.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Gastroenterology in General Medicine. The correct option holds because: Correct: digested blood produces black tarry melena.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Gastroenterology?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.