Pre-endoscopy risk in upper GI bleeding. Free to use.
Glasgow-Blatchford (Glasgow-Blatchford Bleeding Score) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess pre-endoscopy risk in upper gi bleeding. The instrument contains 9 items.
Source / attribution: Blatchford O et al., Lancet 2000
The instrument's primary construct — pre-endoscopy risk in upper gi bleeding — is operationalized through a fixed set of items, each with a defined response format. This standardisation is what allows Glasgow-Blatchford scores to be compared meaningfully across clinicians, sites, and studies.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, Glasgow-Blatchford is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 9 items below to see your Glasgow-Blatchford score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 5-point scale (0–6). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Glasgow-Blatchford uses simple summation: each item's selected response is converted to a numeric value, and the values are added to produce a total score. Reverse-scored items are inverted before summation.
Scoring notes: Use ONE hemoglobin field (man or woman). Educational use only.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–0 | Very low risk | Very low — outpatient may be safe. |
| 1–5 | Low risk | Low — admit, plan endoscopy. |
| 6–23 | High risk | High — urgent endoscopy. |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUN (mg/dL) | < 18.2 | 0 |
| 2 | Hemoglobin in men (g/dL) | ≥ 13 | 0 |
| 3 | Hemoglobin in women (g/dL) | ≥ 12 | 0 |
| 4 | Systolic BP | ≥ 110 | 0 |
| 5 | Pulse ≥ 100 | Yes | 1 |
| 6 | Melena present | Yes | 1 |
| 7 | Syncope | No | 0 |
| 8 | Hepatic disease | No | 0 |
| 9 | Cardiac failure | Yes | 2 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 2 = 4
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 4 falls between 1 and 5 → Low risk
Low risk. Admit; non-urgent endoscopy.
A score is one input alongside history and examination. Glasgow-Blatchford supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
If Glasgow-Blatchford doesn't fit your context, related instruments in gastroenterology include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-Pugh | Severity of cirrhosis and prognosis | 5 | — |
| MELD-Na | 3-month mortality in advanced liver disease; transplant prioritization | 5 | — |
| ASA Physical Status | Pre-operative health status | 1 | — |
| Barthel Index | Functional independence in ADLs | 10 | — |
| BDI-II | Severity of depression | — | ≈ 5 minutes |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| CURB-65 | 30-day mortality in community-acquired pneumonia | 5 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
Glasgow-Blatchford (Glasgow-Blatchford Bleeding Score) is a validated instrument that assesses pre-endoscopy risk in upper gi bleeding.
Glasgow-Blatchford contains 9 items. Items are summed to produce a total score.
Scores of 6–23 fall in the "High risk" band. High — urgent endoscopy.
Scores of 0–0 fall in the "Very low risk" band. Very low — outpatient may be safe.
Yes — Glasgow-Blatchford is in the public domain and free for clinical, educational, and research use without permission.
Blatchford O et al. Lancet. 2000;356(9238):1318-1321.
No. Glasgow-Blatchford is a structured assessment aid. A score is one input alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
Glasgow-Blatchford is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: