Upper GI 
 

Endoscopy

 National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse 

U.S. Department 

of Health and 

Human Services 

NATIONAL 

INSTITUTES 

OF HEALTH 

What is upper 

gastrointestinal (GI) 

endoscopy? 

Upper GI endoscopy is a procedure that uses 

a lighted, flexible endoscope to see inside the 

upper GI tract. The upper GI tract includes 

the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum— 

the first part of the small intestine. 

What problems can upper 

GI endoscopy detect? 

Upper GI endoscopy can detect 

Upper GI endoscopy is a procedure that uses 

a lighted, flexible endoscope to see inside the 

esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. 

•	 ulcers 

•	 abnormal growths 

•	 precancerous conditions 

•	 bowel obstruction 

•	 inflammation 

•	 hiatal hernia 

When is upper GI 

endoscopy used? 

Upper GI endoscopy can be used to determine the cause of 

•	 abdominal pain 

•	 nausea 

•	 vomiting 

•	 swallowing difficulties 

•	 gastric reflux 

Esophagus 

Small 

intestine 

Stomach 

Duodenum 

•	 unexplained weight loss 

•	 anemia 

•	 bleeding in the upper GI tract 

Upper GI endoscopy can be used to remove 

stuck objects, including food, and to treat 

conditions such as bleeding ulcers. It can 

also be used to biopsy tissue in the upper GI 

tract. During a biopsy, a small piece of tissue is removed for later examination with a 

microscope. 
 

How to Prepare for Upper 

GI Endoscopy 

The upper GI tract must be empty before 

upper GI endoscopy. Generally, no eating 

or drinking is allowed for 4 to 8 hours before 

the procedure. Smoking and chewing gum 

are also prohibited during this time. 

Patients should tell their doctor about all 

health conditions they have—especially heart 

and lung problems, diabetes, and allergies— 

and all medications they are taking. Patients 

may be asked to temporarily stop taking 

medications that affect blood clotting or 

interact with sedatives, which are often given 

during upper GI endoscopy. 

Medications and vitamins that may be 

restricted before and after upper GI endoscopy include 

•	 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 

such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), and 

naproxen (Aleve) 

•	 blood thinners 

•	 blood pressure medications 

•	 diabetes medications 

•	 antidepressants 

•	 dietary supplements 

Driving is not permitted for 12 to 24 hours 

after upper GI endoscopy to allow sedatives 

time to completely wear off. Before the 

appointment, patients should make plans for 

a ride home. 

How is upper GI endoscopy 

performed? 

Upper GI endoscopy is conducted at a hospital or outpatient center. 

Patients may receive a local, liquid anesthetic 

that is gargled or sprayed on the back of the 

throat. The anesthetic numbs the throat 

and calms the gag reflex. An intravenous 

(IV) needle is placed in a vein in the arm 

if a sedative will be given. Sedatives help 

patients stay relaxed and comfortable. While 

patients are sedated, the doctor and medical 

staff monitor vital signs. 

During the procedure, patients lie on their 

back or side on an examination table. An 

endoscope is carefully fed down the esophagus and into the stomach and duodenum. A 

small camera mounted on the endoscope 

transmits a video image to a video monitor, 

allowing close examination of the intestinal 

lining. Air is pumped through the endoscope 

to inflate the stomach and duodenum, making them easier to see. Special tools that 

slide through the endoscope allow the doctor to perform biopsies, stop bleeding, and 

remove abnormal growths. 

2 Upper GI Endoscopy 
 

 

Recovery from Upper GI 

Endoscopy 

After upper GI endoscopy, patients are 

moved to a recovery room where they wait 

about an hour for the sedative to wear off. 

During this time, patients may feel bloated 

or nauseated. They may also have a sore 

throat, which can stay for a day or two. 

Patients will likely feel tired and should plan 

to rest for the remainder of the day. Unless 

otherwise directed, patients may immediately 

resume their normal diet and medications. 

Some results from upper GI endoscopy are 

available immediately after the procedure. 

The doctor will often share results with 

the patient after the sedative has worn off. 

Biopsy results are usually ready in a few days. 

What are the risks 

associated with upper GI 

endoscopy? 

Risks associated with upper GI endoscopy 

include 

•	 abnormal reaction to sedatives 

•	 bleeding from biopsy 

•	 accidental puncture of the upper GI 

tract 

Patients who experience any of the following rare symptoms after upper GI endoscopy 

should contact their doctor immediately: 

•	 swallowing difficulties 

•	 throat, chest, and abdominal pain that 

worsens 

•	 vomiting 

•	 bloody or very dark stool 

•	 fever 

3 Upper GI Endoscopy 
 

Points to Remember 

•	 Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy 

is a procedure that uses a lighted, flexible endoscope to see inside the upper 

GI tract. 

•	 To prepare for upper GI endoscopy, no 

eating or drinking is allowed for 4 to 

8 hours before the procedure. Smoking 

and chewing gum are also prohibited. 

•	 Patients should tell their doctor about 
 

all health conditions they have and all 
 

medications they are taking. 
 

•	 Driving is not permitted for 12 to 

24 hours after upper GI endoscopy 

to allow the sedative time to wear off. 

Before the appointment, patients should 

make plans for a ride home. 

•	 Before upper GI endoscopy, the patient 

will receive a local anesthetic to numb 

the throat. 

•	 An intravenous (IV) needle is placed 

in a vein in the arm if a sedative will be 

given. 

•	 During upper GI endoscopy, an endoscope is carefully fed into the upper GI 

tract and images are transmitted to a 

video monitor. 

•	 Special tools that slide through the 

endoscope allow the doctor to perform 

biopsies, stop bleeding, and remove 

abnormal growths. 

•	 After upper GI endoscopy, patients may 

feel bloated or nauseated and may also 

have a sore throat. 

•	 Unless otherwise directed, patients may 

immediately resume their normal diet 

and medications. 

•	 Possible risks of an upper GI endoscopy 

include abnormal reaction to sedatives, 

bleeding from biopsy, and accidental 

puncture of the upper GI tract. 

Hope through Research 

The National Institute of Diabetes and 

Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) 

conducts and supports basic and clinical 

research into many digestive disorders. 

Participants in clinical trials can play a more 

active role in their own health care, gain 

access to new research treatments before 

they are widely available, and help others by 

contributing to medical research. For information about current studies, visit 

www.ClinicalTrials.gov. 

For More Information 

Fact sheets about other diagnostic tests 

are available from the National Digestive 

Diseases Information Clearinghouse at 

www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov, including 

•	 Colonoscopy 

•	 ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde 
 

Cholangiopancreatography)
 


•	 Flexible Sigmoidoscopy 

•	 Liver Biopsy 

•	 Lower GI Series 

•	 Upper GI Series 

•	 Virtual Colonoscopy 

American College of Gastroenterology 

P.O. Box 342260 

Bethesda, MD 20827–2260 

Phone: 301–263–9000 

Fax: 301–263–9025 

Email: info@acg.gi.org 

Internet: www.acg.gi.org 

4	 Upper GI Endoscopy 
5 Upper GI Endoscopy

American Gastroenterological Association 

4930 Del Ray Avenue 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

Phone: 301–654–2055 

Fax: 301–654–5920 

Email: member@gastro.org 

Internet: www.gastro.org

American Society for Gastrointestinal 

Endoscopy 

1520 Kensington Road, Suite 202 

Oak Brook, IL 60523 

Phone: 630–573–0600 

Fax: 630–573–0691 

Email: info@asge.org 

Internet: www.asge.org

Society of American Gastrointestinal 

Endoscopic Surgeons 

11300 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 600 

Los Angeles, CA 90064 

Phone: 310–437–0585 

Fax: 310–437–0585 

Email: sagesweb@sages.org 

Internet: www.sages.org

Acknowledgments

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse 

are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK 

scientists and outside experts. This publication was reviewed by Michael Wallace, M.D., 

Mayo Clinic.

You may also find additional information about this 

topic by visiting MedlinePlus at www.medlineplus.gov.

This publication may contain information about 

medications. When prepared, this publication 

included the most current information available. 

For updates or for questions about any medications, 

contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

toll-free at 1–888–INFO–FDA (1–888–463–6332) or 

visit www.fda.gov. Consult your doctor for more 

information.

The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any 

specific commercial product or company. Trade, 

proprietary, or company names appearing in this 

document are used only because they are considered 

necessary in the context of the information provided. 

If a product is not mentioned, the omission does not 

mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory.
 

National Digestive Diseases 

Information Clearinghouse 

2 Information Way 

Bethesda, MD 20892–3570 

Phone: 1–800–891–5389 

TTY: 1–866–569–1162 

Fax: 703–738–4929 

Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov 

Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov 

The National Digestive Diseases Information 

Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the 

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive 

and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The 

NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of 

Health of the U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services. Established in 1980, 

the Clearinghouse provides information 

about digestive diseases to people with 

digestive disorders and to their families, 

health care professionals, and the public. 

The NDDIC answers inquiries, develops and 

distributes publications, and works closely 

with professional and patient organizations 

and Government agencies to coordinate 

resources about digestive diseases. 

This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse 

encourages users of this fact sheet to duplicate and 

distribute as many copies as desired. 

This fact sheet is also available at 

www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

AND HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

NIH Publication No. 09–4333 

May 2009