If a patient swallows blood after facial trauma, there is an increased risk of which complication?

• A. GI trauma
• B. Hypotension
• C. Vomiting
• D. Altered LOC

Answer: (C)

Swallowing blood acts as a chemical and physical irritant to the stomach, which can trigger the vomiting reflex. Blood in the stomach irritates the gastric mucosa and, through stimulation of the vomiting center in the brain (the chemoreceptor trigger zone), nausea and emesis can occur even with small amounts. This emetic response is the most direct and likely complication when blood is ingested after facial trauma.

In this scenario, other potential issues like actual GI trauma would require a direct injury to the digestive tract, hypotension would stem from significant blood loss or other systemic factors, and altered LOC points to brain or metabolic problems rather than ingestion of blood. The swallowed blood specifically raises the risk of vomiting, which is why that choice is the best fit.